▁to ▁the ▁abandon ment ▁of ▁the ▁gold ▁standard ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁Britain ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁cut ▁interest ▁rates ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁drop ▁in ▁real ▁interest ▁rates . ▁This ▁drop ▁in ▁interests ▁rates ▁subsequently ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁bo om ▁in ▁construction ▁in ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁Britain ; ▁stim ulating ▁some ▁renew ed ▁economic ▁growth . ▁Also , ▁the ▁government ▁began ▁sp ending ▁money ▁on ▁goods ▁and ▁services ▁within ▁Britain ▁which ▁a ided ▁in ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁financial ▁recovery . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁on wards , ▁the ▁National ▁Government ▁followed ▁a ▁policy ▁of ▁mass ▁re arm ament ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁Naz i ▁Germany . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁un emp loyment ▁had ▁fallen ▁to ▁ 1 . 5 ▁million , ▁but ▁rose ▁again ▁to ▁ 1 , 8 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁by ▁January ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁suggesting ▁that ▁the ▁recovery ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁short ▁lived . ▁ ▁Con sequ ences ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression ▁Following ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁people , ▁and ▁particularly ▁the ▁working ▁class ▁and ▁returning ▁serv ic emen ▁and ▁women , ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁a ▁return ▁to ▁pre - war ▁Conserv ative ▁economic ▁policies , ▁which ▁they ▁bl amed ▁for ▁the ▁hard ship ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁and ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁m ood ▁for ▁w ides p read ▁social ▁change . ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 4