AHC: Make British industry as strong as possible during 1920s-1930s

Thomas1195

Banned
What with the qualified return to the Gold Standard and the Welsh Wizard back in the cabinet,
I think we might have established the basic premise of a TL.
Hey guy, I had two potential PODs:
First, everything like OTL, but have Asquith refusing to back Labour in 1923, and was invited by the King to form a new government could be a good start.

Second, Asquith was broke by his son's death and retired voluntarily in 1916, with Lloyd George succeeding but still retaining the Liberal dominated Coalition cabinet, while habing Montagu, another Liberal, take the Ministry of Munitions position.
 
Hey guy, I had two potential PODs:
First, everything like OTL, but have Asquith refusing to back Labour in 1923, and was invited by the King to form a new government could be a good start.

Second, Asquith was broke by his son's death and retired voluntarily in 1916, with Lloyd George succeeding but still retaining the Liberal dominated Coalition cabinet, while habing Montagu, another Liberal, take the Ministry of Munitions position.

So what happens post war when his affair's exposed? Does he retain leadership of the party with Asquith retired?
 

Thomas1195

Banned
So what happens post war when his affair's exposed? Does he retain leadership of the party with Asquith retired?
He could be replaced by Herbert Samuel like OTL, or Asquith make a comeback, but I believe the former would be more likely. Besides, in this case he would not be labelled as a party traitor, so he could retain enough credibility to continue. However, the public work programs would began as early as 1921 in this scenario.

Another one is ''Lloyd George died with Kitchener on HMS Hampshire'' scenario, but I don't like it because he was crucial for British victory.
 
He could be replaced by Herbert Samuel like OTL, or Asquith make a comeback, but I believe the former would be more likely. Besides, in this case he would not be labelled as a party traitor, so he could retain enough credibility to continue. However, the public work programs would began as early as 1921 in this scenario.

Man the OTL history of the liberal party's complicated. So many splits. With Asquith out of the political picture, does the initial split even occur?
Is the earlier public works program the result of this not happening? Who would the responsible minister be?

IOTL the conservatives withdrew their support in the wake of several scandals in 1922, and subsequently formed a government.
Does this government continue the nascent public works scheme?
 

Thomas1195

Banned
Man the OTL history of the liberal party's complicated. So many splits. With Asquith out of the political picture, does the initial split even occur?
Is the earlier public works program the result of this not happening? Who would the responsible minister be?

IOTL the conservatives withdrew their support in the wake of several scandals in 1922, and subsequently formed a government.
Does this government continue the nascent public works scheme?
Well, OTL the whole Liberal cabinet resigned when Asquith resigned (or actually forced to resign). If now Asquith retired voluntarily, then Lloyd George would be very likely to succeed him. There were some conflicts over conscription issues, however, it would not be so terrible for them like what happened in OTL.

In this case there would be no repeal of Land Value Tax, meanwhile, I expect most of Liberals would oppose intervention in Russian Civil War or in Turkey, which would allow for earlier military spending cut (this might reduce the scale of Geddes Axe or even butterfly it away).


Finally, the easiest way for a post 1915 POD would be having Asquith not backing Labour in 1923, and then was invited by the King to form a new government, having either LG or McKenna rather than some die-hard Classical Liberals as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Then, introduce public work programs and listen to Keynes and not return to prewar Gold, these things would help them rebuild their credibility gradually.
 
I think Asquith's retirement makes a good PoD, it hasn't been done before and could led to some interesting effects on British politics as well as industry.
 

Thomas1195

Banned
Another works could be rebuilding existing railways as well as building new ones. IOTL, Britain did not replace bulhead rails by flat-bottomed rails until 1950s. These works would be a very big boost for mass production of steel (and coal).
 
Another works could be rebuilding existing railways as well as building new ones. IOTL, Britain did not replace bulhead rails by flat-bottomed rails until 1950s. These works would be a very big boost for mass production of steel (and coal).
How about building the "Homes Fit For Heros" people were promised. It gets men into work and their wages are a source of income for other industries.
 

Thomas1195

Banned
How about building the "Homes Fit For Heros" people were promised. It gets men into work and their wages are a source of income for other industries.
You would need a POD before December 1916. Geddes Axe was unavoidable as long as the Tories dominated the Coalition. Lloyd George actually had an even bigger public work plan than HFFHs, but was opposed by the Tories. Asquith retiring voluntarily would allow LG to turn his party into a group of radicals.
 
Was any sort of provision made for conscripts who had their apprenticeships interrupted to complete them? If not that would seem to be a wise investment of government funds.
 
You would need a POD before December 1916. Geddes Axe was unavoidable as long as the Tories dominated the Coalition. Lloyd George actually had an even bigger public work plan than HFFHs, but was opposed by the Tories. Asquith retiring voluntarily would allow LG to turn his party into a group of radicals.

What was the full scope of what LG wanted?

fasquardon
 
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