Reasons for the General Strike of 1926

Reasons for the General Strike of 1926

The General Strike took place as a result of short and long-term

problems. Long term factors such as the increase in Trade Union

members, the change of ownership in the mines, and the threat of

Communism were all starting points. The price of coal fluctuating

along with economic instability in Britain, the US and Germany and the

adherence to the Gold Standard also contributed to the timing of the

General Strike. The growth of the Labour Party and the threat of

nationalisation made private mine owners feel insecure. The First

World War had seen the mines put into government hands. This meant

national wage schemes and a seven-hour day guaranteed. However, at the

end of the war the Sankey Report failed to report back uncammanly for

nationalisation and Lloyd George did not enforce it. This meant

workers found themselves back to regional pay scales and longer hours.

Firstly, after World War One, the British citizens were expecting a

change in lifestyle, and after losing many family members; they were

expecting what the Prime Minister had promised them ‘a fit country for

heroes to live in’. The standard of life during the war was

considerably bad, as the government abandoned the need of food and

supplies, and concentrated on military and war associated

requirements. This meant that many imports and exports were lost for

several reasons for example cotton from India and supplies from Japan,

older industries such as coal; shipbuilding and steel were becoming

extremely overpriced. Unemployment became high at 10% and falling

prices were the beginning of a long struggle in the economy.

Expectations were high in Britain at the time. So Winston Churchill

decided to put Britain back on the Gold Standard to bring the economy

back up, Britain had been taken off of the Gold Standard in 1914 and

because the pound was no longer backed by gold anymore, it dropped in

value quickly, worth only $3.20 after the war, rather than the $4.86

it was worth before the war.