Gaitskellism

Gaitskellism was the ideology of a faction of the British Labour Party. It opposed many of the economic policies of the labour unions, especially regarding nationalisation and controlling the economy for the benefit of unions. Theoretically, it was based on two policies that repudiated the long-standing orthodox position of the Labour Party. First it repudiated the orthodoxy that socialism was identified with public ownership of the means of production, and that such ownership was essential to achieve all major socialist objectives. Second, it emphasized the goals of personal liberty, social welfare, and above all social equality. It downplayed loyalty to the labour movement as a central ethical goal, and argued that the new goals could be achieved if the government used appropriate fiscal and social policy measures within the context of a market-oriented mixed economy. Public ownership was not specifically rejected, but was seen as merely one of numerous useful devices.

The movement was led by Hugh Gaitskell and included Anthony Crosland, Roy Jenkins, Douglas Jay, and Patrick Gordon Walker and James Callaghan. Gaitskellites represented the political right of the Labour Party and were opposed by the Bevanites, the more Leftist faction of the party led by Aneurin Bevan, Michael Foot and Tony Benn. The main period of Gaitskellism was from 1950–63, when they generally controlled the policy positions of the Labour Party, even though it was out of power and had little influence. By the 1950s there were many parallels between Gaitskellism and the economic policies of Rab Butler, the Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer. This convergence of the two main parties was dubbed "Butskellism."

In the 1945 general election, the Labour Party won its first majority in Parliament, with Clement Attlee becoming Prime Minister. Both Gaitskell and Bevan took positions in the Cabinet, Gaitskell as Minister of Fuel and Power and Bevan as Minister of Health.

...
Wikipedia