History · Year 13 · Thatcherism and the Crisis of British Politics 1975–1990 · Spring Term

The Three-Day Week & Industrial Unrest

Students will analyze the causes and immediate aftermath of the 1970s industrial unrest, including the Three-Day Week, examining the challenges to government authority.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• A-Level: History - Post-War Britain, 1951-2007
• A-Level: History - Industrial Relations and Economic Crisis

About This Topic

This topic analyses the causes and consequences of the urban uprisings that swept through Northern and Western US cities between 1965 and 1968, starting with the Watts Riot in Los Angeles. Students examine how the focus of the movement shifted from Southern de jure segregation to the de facto segregation, police brutality, and economic despair of the Northern ghettos. The 1968 Kerner Commission report, which famously warned that the US was moving toward 'two societies, one black, one white, separate and unequal', is a central document for this study.

At Year 13, students evaluate why the non-violent methods of the SCLC were less effective in Northern cities and how the riots contributed to a white 'backlash' and the rise of 'law and order' politics. They also consider the systemic issues of redlining and job loss that underpinned the unrest. This topic is best explored through collaborative investigations of the Kerner Commission's findings and by analysing the differing perspectives on the 'riots' vs. 'uprisings'.

Key Questions

1. Analyze how the economic and political crises of the late 1970s created the conditions for Thatcher's electoral victory in 1979.
2. Evaluate the extent to which Thatcherism represented a fundamental and ideological break with the post-war political consensus.
3. Assess the long-term social and economic consequences of Conservative government policy in Britain between 1979 and 1990.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the primary economic and political factors that led to the 1973 oil crisis and subsequent industrial disputes.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the Heath government's response to the miners' strike and the implementation of the Three-Day Week.
• Compare the industrial relations strategies of trade unions and government policies during the 1970s.
• Explain the short-term consequences of the Three-Day Week on British industry and daily life.
• Critique the argument that the industrial unrest of the 1970s directly paved the way for the Conservative Party's electoral success in 1979.

Before You Start

Post-War Consensus and the Welfare State

Why: Students need to understand the political and economic landscape of Britain after World War II to grasp what the industrial unrest was challenging.

The Rise of Trade Unions in Britain

Why: Understanding the historical growth and power of trade unions is essential for analyzing their role in the industrial disputes of the 1970s.

Key Vocabulary

Three-Day Week	A government-imposed measure in 1974 that restricted businesses to operating on only three days a week to conserve electricity during a national energy crisis.
Miners' Strike (1973-1974)	A major industrial action by the National Union of Mineworkers that significantly disrupted coal supplies and contributed to the energy crisis and the fall of the Heath government.
In Place of Strife	A proposed white paper by the Labour government in 1969 aimed at reforming industrial relations and limiting strike action, which ultimately failed due to internal party opposition.
Winter of Discontent	A period in the winter of 1978-1979 characterized by widespread strikes across various public sectors, which severely damaged the Labour government's authority and public confidence.
Public Sector Strike	Industrial action taken by workers in government-funded services, such as healthcare, education, and transport, often leading to significant public disruption.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The riots were just senseless violence by 'hoodlums'.

What to Teach Instead

The Kerner Commission found that the unrest was a response to systemic racial injustice, particularly police brutality and lack of economic opportunity. Peer discussion of the 'trigger events' helps students see the riots as a form of desperate political protest.

Common Misconception

The civil rights movement 'ended' with the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

What to Teach Instead

The movement actually entered a new, more complex phase focused on economic and social equality in the North. Using a timeline activity helps students see the continuity between the Southern and Northern struggles.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: The Kerner Commission Report

Groups are assigned specific sections of the 1968 report (e.g., on housing, policing, or the media). They must summarise the Commission's findings on the 'root causes' of the unrest and present whether they think the government's response was adequate.

50 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share: Riot or Rebellion?

Students look at how different newspapers (Black-owned vs. white-owned) described the events in Watts or Detroit. They discuss in pairs how the choice of words like 'riot', 'uprising', or 'rebellion' reflects different political perspectives and affects public perception.

30 min·Pairs

Stations Rotation: The Geography of Discontent

Stations feature maps of 'redlining' in cities like Chicago and Detroit, alongside data on unemployment and police incidents. Students rotate to build a 'profile' of the conditions that led to the 1967 'Long Hot Summer'.

45 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Historians analyzing government archives at The National Archives in Kew examine policy documents and correspondence related to the energy crisis and industrial negotiations to understand decision-making processes.
• Economists studying long-term economic trends may compare the impact of the Three-Day Week on manufacturing output with subsequent periods of industrial policy, referencing data from the Office for National Statistics.
• Journalists reporting on contemporary industrial disputes, such as recent strikes in the transport or healthcare sectors, often draw parallels to the scale and impact of the 1970s unrest, referencing historical precedents.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with a short primary source quote from a newspaper article or a politician's speech from 1974. Ask them to identify two specific challenges faced by the government or the public as described in the text and explain their significance.

Discussion Prompt

Facilitate a class debate on the question: 'To what extent was the Three-Day Week a necessary measure versus a political miscalculation?' Encourage students to use evidence from the lesson to support their arguments, considering both economic and social impacts.

Exit Ticket

Ask students to write down one cause of the industrial unrest in the early 1970s and one immediate consequence of the Three-Day Week. They should then briefly explain the link between the cause and the consequence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What caused the Watts Riot in 1965?

The riot was sparked by a seemingly routine traffic stop of a Black motorist by white police officers, which escalated into a confrontation. However, the underlying causes were years of frustration over police brutality, poor housing, high unemployment, and the failure of the civil rights movement to improve the lives of Black people in Northern cities.

What did the Kerner Commission conclude?

The 1968 commission concluded that 'white racism' was the primary cause of the urban unrest. It warned that the nation was splitting into two separate and unequal societies and recommended massive federal investment in housing, education, and jobs to address the systemic inequality, though most of its suggestions were ignored by President Johnson.

How did the urban riots affect white public opinion?

The riots led to a significant 'white backlash'. Many white Americans who had supported the Southern movement for basic legal rights were alienated by the violence and the demands for economic redistribution, leading to increased support for 'law and order' candidates like Richard Nixon.

How can active learning help students understand the urban unrest of the 1960s?

Active learning, such as investigating the Kerner Commission report, helps students move beyond the 'spectacle' of the violence to understand the systemic causes. By analysing the language used to describe the events, students learn to identify bias and perspective. This approach helps them appreciate the complexity of the movement's shift to the North and the deep-seated nature of racial inequality.