The 'Peace Arsenal' scheme : the campaign for non-munitions work at the Royal Ordnance Factories, Woolwich, after the First World War
Following the Armistice many Arsenal workers wanted to retain their well-paid employment. There was a well established community; there was little comparable work in the locality and accommodation was difficult to find elsewhere. In order to secure peacetime production at the Arsenal, the labour movement in Woolwich organised a campaign which drew in traders, councillors, ex-Servicemen and clerics. The effect of this was to aid the integration of the local labour movement into the national constitution which was being reconstructed at the time. Central aspects of this new constitution were an increase in the integration of representatives of labour and industry in the government, and a new role for the Labour Party. The reconstruction of the constitution involved a degree of economic and legal coercion, and the transmission of government propaganda. These were all orchestrated at national level. The new order also included the accommodation of the working class, which had become more assertive during the war. This meant that social stability could not simply be imposed; the new order had to involve the absorption of tensions and the encouragement of specific strands of working class tradition. The creation
Weinbren, Daniel John
HD Industries. Land use. Labor
The 'Peace Arsenal' scheme : the campaign for non-munitions work at the Royal Ordnance Factories, Woolwich, after the First World War. Following the Armistice many Arsenal workers wanted to retain their well-paid employment. There was a well established community; there was little comparable work in the locality and accommodation was difficult to find elsewhere. In order to secure peacetime production at the Arsenal, the labour movement in Woolwich organised a campaign which drew in traders, councillors, ex-Servicemen and clerics. The effect of this was to aid the integration of the local labour movement into the national constitution which was being reconstructed at the time. Central aspects of this new constitution were an increase in the integration of representatives of labour and industry in the government, and a new role for the Labour Party. The reconstruction of the constitution involved a degree of economic and legal coercion, and the transmission of government propaganda. These were all orchestrated at national level. The new order also included the accommodation of the working class, which had become more assertive during the war. This meant that social stability could not simply be imposed; the new order had to involve the absorption of tensions and the encouragement of specific strands of working class tradition. The creation
peace scheme campaign non work royal ordnance first_world_war following armistice many worker want retain well paid employment well_establish community little comparable work locality accommodation difficult elsewhere order secure peacetime production labour_movement organise campaign drew trader councillor ex_servicemen cleric effect aid integration local_labour movement national constitution reconstruct time central aspect new constitution increase integration representative labour industry government new role labour_party reconstruction constitution involve degree economic legal coercion transmission government propaganda orchestrate national_level new order also_include accommodation work_class become assertive war meant social_stability could simply impose new order involve absorption tension encouragement specific strand work_class tradition creation