ABSTRACT

In 1945 the Labour party finally came of age. Before 1914 it had failed to establish itself as the main alternative opposition and after 1918 it had yet to prove itself capable of becoming a majority government. This chapter looks at the reason for Labour’s sudden electoral success. It also deals with the economic and social changes introduced between 1945 and 1951, focusing on the key questions of how radical these really were and whether or not they can be regarded as an overall success.