Changes

This government introduced sweeping reforms of industry and the creation of the [[welfare state]]. Attlee's government nationalised major industries, founded the [[National Health Service]], and developed the idea of welfare from cradle to grave paid for out of taxation and available to everyone free of charge. Much of the welfare state is still in force today.

This government introduced sweeping reforms of industry and the creation of the [[welfare state]]. Attlee's government nationalised major industries, founded the [[National Health Service]], and developed the idea of welfare from cradle to grave paid for out of taxation and available to everyone free of charge. Much of the welfare state is still in force today.

The Labour government was fiercely anti-Communist, but the economy was so weak it had to relinquish a leadership role to the United States.  Atlee pushed President [[Harry Truman]] to take over Britain's historic roles, especially in Greece, and indeed helped push the U.S. into the [[Cold War]] against the [[Soviet Union]].

The Labour government was fiercely anti-Communist, but the economy was so weak it had to relinquish a leadership role to the United States.  Despite not having much of a personal relationship, Atlee pushed President [[Harry Truman]] to take over Britain's historic roles, especially in Greece, and indeed helped push the U.S. into the [[Cold War]] against the [[Soviet Union]]. Ernest Bevin, the foreign secretary, was instrumental in setting up [[NATO]].

After losing in 1951, the Labour Party spent the next 13 years out of office and achieved little during the governments of Wilson (1964-1970 and 1974-1976) and his successor James Callaghan (1976-79).  Their failures set the stage for the renewal of British energy and leadership under [[Margaret Thatcher]], beginning in 1979.

Although it won the first General Election in 1951, Clement Atlee did not believe he had a large enough parliamentary majority to continue his radical reforms so he called a second election.  However, he timed it badly, as James Callaghan did in 1979, so his party lost.

 

The Labour Party spent the next 13 years out of office and achieved little during the governments of Wilson (1964-1970 and 1974-1976) and his successor James Callaghan (1976-79), although Denis Healey, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, started adopting broadly monetary policies from 1976 on..  Their failures set the stage for the renewal of British energy and leadership under [[Margaret Thatcher]], beginning in 1979.

===Socialism===

===Socialism===