This thesis is an exploration of the politics of urban transformation in the
immediate post-war period of British history, between 1945 and 1970. It centres
on the Labour Party and considers the relationship of the party’s socialist aims
to modernity as a stimulus for radical urban policy, particularly in terms of
housing. Whilst prior historical accounts of post-war urban change have tended
to eschew ideology as a serious catalyst for the reconstruction of British cities,
arguing instead that pragmatism and corruption were of greater consequence,
this thesis contends that a modern, socialist utopian ideal was a defining feature
of urban transformation undertaken by Labour at both a local and national level.
Archival material from Labour and the broader left of British politics,
published sociological studies from the period 1945-70 and my own oral history
interviews with key figures from the period lead this investigation. A thorough
analysis of Labour’s approach to key aspects of the urban environment enables
this thesis to challenge existing understandings of post-war urban
transformation as irrational or hard-headed. The thesis examines the
relationship of Labour to the housing market, urban planning, understandings of
community and the party’s sense of history and modernity. It asserts that rent
control, slum clearance and tower blocks were indicative of a modern, socialist
urban vision for Labour, proposing that the ‘modern moment’ in twentiethcentury
British history be taken into greater consideration. As urban history
acquires greater prominence in an age of increasing urbanisation, engagement
with the rationale behind past urban transformation can make a significant
contribution to the understanding of why particular urban policies become
reality.AHRC PhD Scholarship 2012-1