What would be the effect of Stanley Baldwin being deposed as Conservative Party leader following their 1923 election defeat? Who would take over the leadership? How would it change the outcome of the 1924 election, and the future of Britain beyond that?
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WI: Baldwin deposed in 1923
- Thread starter Venocara
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ShortsBelfast
Well-known member
Probably Austen Chamberlain, possibly Lord Curzon (which could butterfly away the latter's early death by a couple of years, the plumbing at number 10, seems to have been significantly superior to that at Walmer Castle). Britain's defences might not have been run down quite so heavily and Austen Chamberlain at least might have had more reservations about trying to go back onto the Gold Standard. Austen also came to regard Hitler as totally untrustworthy more quickly than either Baldwin or his brother Neville, so we could have seen a British/French intervention when Hitler remilitarised the Rhineland. Probably not though as public opinion was against it.
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Austen was, in certain respects, more far-sighted on foreign policy than many of his contemporaries. His 1925 memorandum on the KMT was instrumental to shifting British support towards the Guangzhou (then Nanjing) government.
An intervention in the Rhineland would be too much, but I can see him doing what he can to assist France's strategy of surrounding Germany with the Little Entente.
An intervention in the Rhineland would be too much, but I can see him doing what he can to assist France's strategy of surrounding Germany with the Little Entente.
Austin agreed with churchill about rearming against the Nazies.
@ShortsBelfast @SenatorChickpea how would Chamberlain or Curzon approach events such as Red Friday, the General Strike and the 1929 elections? Would Chamberlain be likely to shift the Conservatives left or right, and would the voting age still be equalised under either of these men?
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Chamberlain would probably continue on a similar model to Baldwin when it comes to domestic affairs, with maybe some sops towards Muncipalism as a way to combat those uppity Trade Unions.@ShortsBelfast @SenatorChickpea how would Chamberlain or Curzon approach events such as Red Friday, the General Strike and the 1929 elections? Would Chamberlain be likely to shift the Conservatives left or right, and would the voting age still be equalised under either of these men?
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Curzon was a hardliner's hardliner, in many ways. I'd expect him to be his own Foreign Secretary. Oddly, you might see more reform in the Empire- not that Curzon was any friend to Indian nationalists, but he absolutely believed that Britain's strength rested upon stable possessions in Asia. So administrative reform would be possible- and conceivably more of an attempt to beef up the Princely States as an alternative to nationalist energies.
Much will depend on who his leader in the House of Commons is, because Curzon will be stuck in the Lords. I'd expect a much harsher response to the General Strike.
His son in law is Moseley, of course, so that would be fun for a writer to play with.
Much will depend on who his leader in the House of Commons is, because Curzon will be stuck in the Lords. I'd expect a much harsher response to the General Strike.
His son in law is Moseley, of course, so that would be fun for a writer to play with.
I'd expect a much harsher response to the General Strike.
How do you mean? What would the government do differently, and how do the unions react; would they end up as humiliated as in OTL? Is it possible for the General Strike to happen earlier by any chance?
As an aside, what would be the effect if Baldwin instead resigned after the General Strike, at which point he was close to a breakdown? Is the premiership still Chamberlain’s to lose, or does Churchill have a good chance at this point? By 1929, how different would Britain look?
In OTL's general strike, there's little violence and soldiers doing their duties unarmed because Baldwin didn't want to kick things off. So a harsher response could be more police charges, arrests, the army armed as a gesture etc
"Can't believe Chamberlain took Britain to war and killed Germans just for wanting to walk down Germany, they could've been appeased."
Austen also came to regard Hitler as totally untrustworthy more quickly than either Baldwin or his brother Neville, so we could have seen a British/French intervention when Hitler remilitarised the Rhineland. Probably not though as public opinion was against it.
"Can't believe Chamberlain took Britain to war and killed Germans just for wanting to walk down Germany, they could've been appeased."