2007-01-07 05:07:09 · 17 answers · asked by Max 5 in Social Science ➔ Economics
To crossfire, shut up you ponce.
2007-01-07 05:13:42 · update #1
Oh my God, World War 11 happend! I have been living under a rock and only new about WW I & II. I completely missed World Wars 3-11. Is there a DVD or something I can rent to fil me in?
2007-01-07 05:09:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 7⤋
After the war the defeated and conquered countries (e.g. Germany and France etc) benefited from US reconstruction money to prevent a re-occurance of the situation that followed World War 1 (when Germany was made to pay reparations). Britain was neither conquered or defeated so it didn't a cent. Instead we had a loan from the US which had to be repaid (last installment was only a fortnight ago!). This loan wasn't nearly worth as much as the free aid gifted to the others. That's why (along with some atrocious political decisons made in the 50's, 60's 70's and 80's) we have such a crappy infrastructure (particulary railways, manufacturing and public buildings) compared with the continent.
2007-01-07 05:15:31 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Germany and Japan basically started the post war era with a blank slate whereas the UK had a lot of baggage-the last war loan from the US and Canada was only paid off at the end of 2006! Giving up the colonies hurt as well. Another factor would be the heavy-handed interventionism of the post-war Labour governments. Germany and Japan developed social welfare systems but were committed to the free-market, whereas the Labour party insisted on stifling the market.
2007-01-07 05:12:25 · answer #3 · answered by michinoku2001 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
As Heinz M states it is due to the devastation which occured in Germany and Japan. The UK had the choice to limp on with a weakened infrastructure. Germany and Japan had to rebuild from the ground up. You only have to look at how the French rail system benefited after they came to the decision that they would have to start again to improve. This method always has the benefit that in the long term you will benefit from a more robust sytsem which will require less finance for relatively major but short term disruption.
2007-01-07 05:24:52 · answer #4 · answered by forge close folks 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The UK was very deeply in debt to the USA due to buying arms during the war from the USA under the 'Lend-Lease' agreement. The interest payments on the debt used up money that could have been spent on new factories and machinary.
Germany was helped by money from the US under the Marshall Plan. Japan got similar financial help during the American occuption from 1945 until 1952. They also got help with setting up democratic government, financial institutions and the other institutions of a succesful economy. This was 'enlightened self-interest' by the US, as they didn't want a poor and embittered population turning to the russians for help.
2007-01-07 05:12:51 · answer #5 · answered by ricochet 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Not only did the war bankrupt Britain, the economy got worse after it finished. I was born after the war but still remember the food rationing and the coupons that my mother needed to buy food.
Many ex-servicemen felt that the Government somehow owed them a living after the sacrifice they had made. This included the 'nationalisation' of many industries, including road haulage, power, coal, steel, railways, ports and docks, which resulted in old-fashioned and inefficient ways of working.
The country was crippled by strikes in the 1970's. One winter, power was only on for three days a week and the Government told you which days you could work!
The Government even said what you annual pay rise could be. And at one time, pay was going up so much that they made it illegal to have a pay rise! For example, the coal miners rejected a 13 % pay increase and went on strike.
That's how Mrs Thatcher came to power. However, much people dislike her now, she was the only politician with the guts to take on the unions and to restore power to the electorate. It is only since then that Britain has started to pull its weight economically.
2007-01-07 05:53:08 · answer #6 · answered by Up the pole 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I was going to suggest that we finished the war with similar conditions (excluding the bruises) to that when we started.
After the war, we had an established (and victorious) ruling class; these people owned all of the industrial capacity of the UK and continued to enjoy their priviledged status.
The good news is perhaps, that this scene has changed, the far east is losing ground in the world market and the UK is growing as a result of the recent rebuild of its manufacturing base.
2007-01-07 05:28:02 · answer #7 · answered by MildMellow 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because, unlike Germany & Japan, the UK owed the USA for war supplies. We have just about paid the US the full loan plus huge amounts of interest.
2007-01-07 05:21:40 · answer #8 · answered by Sam 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because the UK economy wasn't wiped out by the war and because they didn't have to start from scratch with completely new governmental systems like the Germans and Japanese did. Also, their currency didn't lose all of its value after the war like the Reichsmark and the Yen did.
2007-01-07 05:10:28 · answer #9 · answered by The answer guy 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because they weren't nearly as completely damaged, and the infrastructure which was totally usable, was inferior to the newly and up to date build up from the ground stuff that Japan and Germany established.
2007-01-07 05:09:48 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
so i am led to believe, we paid for alot of the rebuilding of Germany, but as ever with this country, its own land and people come last in line
2007-01-07 05:15:49 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋