= Ramsay MacDonald = '''Ramsay Mac``Donald''' was a [[UnitedKingdom/LabourParty|Labour]] politician, member of the [[UnitedKingdom/Parliament|Parliament]], and [[UnitedKingdom/PrimeMinisters|prime minister]] of the [[UnitedKingdom/Democratization|United Kingdom]]. <> ---- == History == Mac``Donald began doing electioneering work for [[UnitedKingdom/KeirHardie|Hardie's]] '''Independent Labour Party''' ('''ILP''') in 1894. He stood for several [[UnitedKingdom/Parliament|Parliamentary]] elections, none of which he won. In 1900 he was elected secretary of the new '''Labour Representation Committee''' ('''LRC'''), a precursor to the [[UnitedKingdom/LabourParty|Labour Party]]. In this position, he negotiated the '''Lib-Lab Pact''' with [[UnitedKingdom/Liberal|Liberal]] '''Herbert Gladstone'''. The Liberal Party agreed to not contest several boroughs, enabling Labour to win 29 seats in the 1906 general election. Mac``Donald was one of those elected. In 1911 he became leader of the PLP. He opposed joining [[WorldHistory/WorldWar1|World War 1]], but the party itself moved to support the [[UnitedKingdom/HerbertHenryAsquith|Asquith]] government. Mac``Donald therefore resigned as leader in 1914. He returned as party leader in 1922. [[UnitedKingdom/StanleyBaldwin|Baldwin]] called snap elections in late 1923; the [[UnitedKingdom/ConservativeParty|Conservatives]] however lost their majority. His government then lost a vote of confidence in January, enabling Mac``Donald to form the first Labour government with [[UnitedKingdom/LiberalParty|Liberal]] supply and confidence. The government was toppled by the so-called '''Campbell Case'''. '''J. R. Campbell''', editor of '''Workers' Weekly''', published in July 1924 an article encouraging servicemen to mutiny. After Mac``Donald had the criminal indictment against Campbell withdrawn, a motion of censure was introduced. Mac``Donald declared defeating the motion a vote of confidence. When it passed overwhelmingly, he called snap elections. Held in October, Baldwin led the Conservatives to win a commanding majority. Following the May 1929 elections, Mac``Donald again formed a minority government with Liberal supply and confidence. In response to the '''Great Depression''', he aimed to implement budget cuts and keep the gold standard. His cabinet mutinied against his policy proposals, and he planned to call snap elections, but he was instead persuaded to form a coalition government with the Conservatives. The '''Invergordon Mutiny''' nonetheless forced him to abandon the gold standard. While the coalition proved effective and popular, Labour itself lost seats in the 1931 general elections. In 1935, amid failing health, Mac``Donald swapped positions with Baldwin, serving in the coalition now as '''lord president'''. He retired in 1937 and died shortly thereafter. ---- == Policies == Mac``Donald opposed the reparations and restrictions forced on [[Germany/Democratization#Weimar_Republic|Germany]] through [[WorldHistory/WorldWar1|Versailles]]. He negotiated with [[France/EdouardHerriot|Herriot]] to, among other concessions, end to the occupation of the Ruhr. He spoke in favor of general disarmament in the [[WorldHistory/LeagueOfNations|League of Nations]]. He established diplomatic relations with the [[WorldHistory/SovietUnion|Soviet Union]]. He negotiated a treaty that would have guaranteed the bonds issued by [[Russia/Monarchs#Imperial_Russia|Imperial Russia]] to British citizens in exchange for a new loan to the Soviet government. This treaty was received by Parliament overwhelmingly negatively. He was an advocate for [[UnitedKingdom/DevolvedGovernment#Northern_Ireland|home rule]]. The '''Westminster Statute''' in 1931 granted dominion status to [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[NewZealand|New Zealand]], and [[SouthAfrica|South Africa]]. The [[Ireland/Democratization#Irish_Free_State|Irish Free State]] officially held that England had already ceded the right to govern Ireland, so technically this statute was never adopted there, but dominion status was similarly offered. ---- CategoryRicottone