An increase in the power of government

Much changed in Britain as a result of the war. Many Britons had come to accept that the government had the right to 'interfere' in the freedom of its citizens. It could make them fight against their will, take over factories, give women the vote, stop newspapers printing articles, and control what people could eat.

Those industries which had been taken over by the government because of the war were given back to their owners once it was over. But it got people used to the idea that the state could take control of (or nationalise) private industries. What is more, many now accepted that governments had the right to do this. This change helped to boost the popularity of the Labour Party which had always supported the idea of a greater role for the government in the country's affairs. At the same time, the popularity of the Liberal Party declined and never recovered as it was known to be opposed to the idea of the state acquiring more power.

Trades unions also benefited for much the same reasons as the Labour Party. They had played a key role in the war effort and were now widely accepted. Membership increased rapidly - for men and women. The Labour government after the Second World War nationalised several key industries like mining, the railways, and electricity. The point here is that the nationalisation policies of the 1945 - 51 Labour government can be seen as a consequence of the First World War, even though they are 30 years apart.

A further, long-term consequence of the war is that many were determined to make sure that there would never be another like it. As a result, every effort was made in the 1930s by the British government not to provoke Hitler. The people of Britain could not forget Britain's losses in the First World War. Expenditure on the armed forces was not popular and they were maintained at a low level. When war did break out in 1939, Britain was not in a good position. Historians have to take a long term view of events in order to assess their real importance.

Neil Demarco: Britain and the Great War; Oxford University Press, 1992/2000, page 38