Commentary of 1945 Conservative Party General Election Manifesto

This is an excerpt from the 1945 Conservative Party General Election Manifesto, that is a plan which focus on the 3 issues: “work”, “national insurance” and “health” on the White Paper to avoid the disastrous slumps and booms which we used to suffer. This text is subjective as the use of the personal pronoun “we” proves on line 2. For the time, the Conservative Party intended to pass into law and bring into action as soon as we can a nation-wide and compulsory scheme of National Insurance based on the plan announced by the Government of all Parties in 1944, and to create a comprehensive health service to reach its welfare objectives through social security. What is the difference between the Labour plan and the policies offered by the Conservative and why did the Conservative Party fail the election? The first part of this commentary tackles the policies of Conservative and the second focus on the Labour plan.

1 – Conservative Policy

A - Public ownership - Nationalization (l.5)

Conservative Party firmly believed that we cannot rely solely on the government to achieve economic prosperity. What we need more is to joint efforts of the people and the company and the cooperation between industry and the state.

B – Work

Yearly average of administrative unemployment rate from 1940 to 1945^[1]:  

1940: 6.0% 1941: 2.2% 1942: 0.8% 1943: 0.6% 1944: 0.6% 1945: 1.3%

4 January 1941: “A plan of Britain” (full employment)

The Conservative Party therefore proposed a new policy for the private sector “Confidence in sound government – mutual co-operation between industry and the State, rather than control by the State – a lightening of the burdens of excessive taxation – these are the first essentials.” (l.10-l.12) They believed that the state and the enterprises are inseparable, but not be controlled, giving private enterprises more freedom through tax cut, enterprises can provide more jobs and satisfied people’s employment needs.

1942 Christianity and Social Order: Christians should call on the government to make sure that there is full employment, access to the education and leisure.

C – National Insurance

1941 Social Insurance Committee by William Beveridge (Beveridge report published in 1942), it proposed to expand and harmonize the welfare state under the social insurance scheme. But Churchill did not support the report as much as possible and he also dismissed Beveridge’s thoughts.

March 1943 Churchill committed the government would establish a system of "national compulsory insurance for all classes for all purposes from the cradle to the grave."

“National well-being is founded on good employment, good housing and good health.” (l.14) Conservative Party indicated that “there will be new and increased benefits” (l.21).

“The new Ministry of National Insurance has been set up to prepare, administer and control the whole of this great legislation” (l.26-l.27). This fully demonstrates that the Conservative Party expected to improve and implement this nation-wide and compulsory scheme of national insurance plan as soon as possible.

D – Health

Pre-war Situation: no comprehensive insurance (for all, for all conditions); no or poor access to care; not enough hospital beds (in 1938: one third more beds needed) and their patchy distribution; uneven distribution of specialist care; disorganization: lack of services in some areas and duplications in others.

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