To a great extent, the experience of Britain in the 1930's is captured with the phrase "Devils Decade". A phrase that conjures up a mental image; a torturous, malevolent picture of the thirties. Though the period was harsh and bleak for many people in many ways, its shadowy countenance was mirrored by the economic, social and political growth prevalent in the more affluent areas of Britain. As Stevenson (1984) says, "alongside this catalogue of disruption and deprivation has to be placed the fact of major economic growth in Britain"(p103). The aim of this essay is to first illustrate and contrast the stereotypical view of Britain in the thirties, with the actual growth and prosperity that occurred. Only then is it possible to ask if the phrase "Devils Decade" sums up the experience of Britain in the thirties.
Devilish is an apt description for a decade full of many dark and diabolical events. These were plentiful. Although that was not the complete picture. There were positive aspects of the 1930's that are important to this essay. They mirror everything about the thirties that made it a "devils decade". First, it is important to understand why 1930's Britain has such a bad name in peoples memories.
The Wall Street crash of 1929 America was a major blow to Britain. The economic crisis in America resulted in the recall of war debts from Britain. Taylor talks of the actions of the Prime Minister, "Baldwin, went off to Washington to settle Great Britain's debt Baldwin agreed to an unconditional settlement on harsh terms." Britain as a country suffered economically because of this. There was no longer as much of a demand for the staple industries (coal, cotton etc.). Therefore the export of British goods was drastically reduced. This in itself did not cause the depression. It only served to deepen it. In the 1930's new industries developed. The setting up of the national grid in 1920 enabled new industries to develop wherever the owners wanted.