Industrial Policy in Britain 1945–1951
Economic Planning, Nationalisation and the Labour Governments

An archive-based study of the economic planning of the Attlee governments in the period 1945–51.

Martin Chick (Author)

9780521482912, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 November 1997

238 pages, 8 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.7 cm, 0.5 kg

'This book is essential reading not only for anyone with an interest in the 1945–51 period but also for anyone who wishes to learn about some of the pitfalls of economic planning.' Economic History Review

This is a detailed archive-based study of the economic planning of the Attlee governments, in which the author seeks to analyse the interaction between the decisions of central planners and the micro-economic effects of these decisions. Throughout the book, Martin Chick pays particular attention to the level, pattern and quality of fixed capital investment. At the same time, there is a continuous concern with the struggle between politicians, economists and industrialists over the mix of pricing mechanisms and administrative orders which were to be used in this period. This struggle permeated all discussions over matters such as the organisation of nationalised industries, the monopoly structure of nationalised industries, the allocation of resources and the promotion of higher productivity. The author also asks what impact, if any, economic planning had on the productivity performance of the UK economy.

List of tables
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of abbreviations
1. Economic planning
2. New Jerusalem?
3. Allocating resources
4. Nationalisation
5. Monopoly pricing
6. Appraising investment
7. Planning rationalisation
8. Return to the market?

Subject Areas: Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000 [HBLW3], British & Irish history [HBJD1]