Manipulating hegemony : British Labour and the Marshall Plan
This study examines the impact of the Marshall Plan on the British Labour government and the trade union movement. It argues that the British government was able to 'manage' relations with the US in terms of limiting unwanted US influence, while restructuring relations with its domestic support base. in this way, the British government was able to play what Putnam has referred to as a two-level game, satisfying demands at both the national and international levels. The Marshall Plan provides evidence of how, as Putnam explains, 'central decision-makers strive to reconcile domestic and international imperatives simultaneously'. By drawing on TUC archives it shows how the government and the leadership of the TUC used the Marshall Plan to realign the unions and increase their control over the labour movement. The study rejects arguments that the Labour government was forced to change its policies because of the Marshall Plan. Instead it shows that the Labour government used American pressure to persuade its own constituents of the value of its policies. The government and trade union leaderships were able control those on the left through an anti-communist campaign while removing communists from positions of
Vickers, Rhiannon
DA Great Britain
Manipulating hegemony : British Labour and the Marshall Plan. This study examines the impact of the Marshall Plan on the British Labour government and the trade union movement. It argues that the British government was able to 'manage' relations with the US in terms of limiting unwanted US influence, while restructuring relations with its domestic support base. in this way, the British government was able to play what Putnam has referred to as a two-level game, satisfying demands at both the national and international levels. The Marshall Plan provides evidence of how, as Putnam explains, 'central decision-makers strive to reconcile domestic and international imperatives simultaneously'. By drawing on TUC archives it shows how the government and the leadership of the TUC used the Marshall Plan to realign the unions and increase their control over the labour movement. The study rejects arguments that the Labour government was forced to change its policies because of the Marshall Plan. Instead it shows that the Labour government used American pressure to persuade its own constituents of the value of its policies. The government and trade union leaderships were able control those on the left through an anti-communist campaign while removing communists from positions of
hegemony british_labour plan study_examines impact plan british_labour government trade_union movement argues british_government able manage relation term limit unwanted influence restructure relation domestic support base way british_government able play putnam refer two_level game satisfy demand national_international level plan provide_evidence putnam explain central decision makers strive reconcile domestic international imperative simultaneously draw tuc archive show government leadership tuc use plan union increase control labour_movement study reject argument labour_government force change policy plan instead show labour_government use american pressure persuade constituent value policy government trade_union able control leave anti communist campaign remove communist position