Economic aspects of the unemployment policy of the Government 1929-1931

This thesis is concerned with the formulation of unemployment policy by the Government from 1929 to 1931: the MacDonald administration. The study is based upon unpublished official records of the Government, in particular the minutes and memoranda of the Cabinet and Cabinet Committees, Government Departments and advisory bodies associated with unemployment policy. This materiel is supplemented by published material relating to the problem of unemployment and policy development; and historical, biographical and autobiographical accounts relating to the activities of Government. Unemployment was high throughout the twenties and rose dramatically in the early thirties. The Government was pledged to solve the problem but had little success. The thesis concentrates upon the relationship between economic theory and policy, and political decision-making attempting to explain the failure of policy. The failure is associated with the adoption by the Government of incompatible policy objectives and administrative incapacity as well as the inadequacies in economic theory and policy which are often the focus of existing interpretations of the period.