2024_AQA: AS HISTORY The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007 Component 2S Building
a New Britain, 1951–1979
(Merged Question paper and marking scheme): Monday 20 May 2024
AS
HISTORY
The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
Component 2S Building a new Britain, 1951–1979
Monday 20 May 2024 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 16-page answer book.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7041/2S.
Answer two questions.
In Section A answer Question 01.
In Section B answer either Question 02 or Question 03.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 50.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice
You are advised to spend about:
– 50 minutes on Section A
– 40 minutes on Section B.
,AS History: The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
Component 2S: Building a New Britain, 1951–1979
May 2025
Key Areas to Revise:
1. The Post-War Consensus (1951–1964)
Consensus Politics: Understand the nature of the post-war consensus, where both major
political parties (Conservatives and Labour) agreed on key policies like the welfare state, the NHS,
and the mixed economy.
Conservative Rule under Churchill and Eden (1951–1957): Focus on the leadership of Winston
Churchill and Anthony Eden in the 1950s, the Suez Crisis (1956), and the effect it had on
Britain's international standing and domestic politics.
Harold Macmillan's “Affluent Society” (1957–1963): Study Macmillan's tenure, focusing on
economic growth in the 1950s, the rise of consumerism, and his famous quote “you've never had it
so good,” which reflected the relative prosperity of the time.
2. The Decline of the Post-War Consensus (1964–1970)
Labour Governments (1964–1970): Study the challenges faced by Harold Wilson’s Labour
government, including economic difficulties, inflation, and rising unemployment. Examine key
issues such as the devaluation of the pound (1967), industrial unrest, and the increased role of
the trade unions.
Social Change in the 1960s: Focus on significant social changes, such as the rise of youth culture,
the “swinging sixties”, and the liberalization of laws around divorce, abortion, and
homosexuality. Understand how these shifts in social attitudes clashed with traditional values.
3. The Economic Challenges of the 1970s
Edward Heath and the 1973 Oil Crisis: Study the impact of the 1973 oil crisis and how it led to
economic difficulties, including stagflation (high inflation and high unemployment) under Edward
Heath's Conservative government (1970–1974). Analyze the effects of Britain joining the
European Economic Community in 1973.
4. The Rise of the Welfare State and Social Reforms
Expansion of the Welfare State: Examine the continued expansion of the welfare state after World
War II, including the development of the NHS and social services, and the impact on education,
housing, and healthcare. Understand how the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s sought
to build a more equal society through welfare policies.
Key Reforms of the 1960s and 1970s: Study the introduction of key reforms, including the Open
University (1969), the abolition of the death penalty (1965), and the Equal Pay Act (1970) aimed
at tackling gender inequality.
5. The Role of Immigration and Multiculturalism
Post-War Immigration: Understand the impact of immigration from the Commonwealth,
particularly from the Caribbean, India, and Pakistan, and how this changed British society. Study the
responses to immigration, including the rise of racial tensions and the passage of the Immigration
Acts in the 1960s and 1970s, which aimed to restrict immigration.
The Rise of Multiculturalism: Examine how British society began to transform into a more
multicultural nation and the challenges it faced, including debates over integration, racism, and
identity.
IB/M/Jun24/G4002/E3 7041/2S
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From ‘The Time of My Life’, an autobiography by Denis Healey, 1989. Healey was
Defence Secretary in Wilson’s government, 1964–70.
No prime minister ever interfered so much in the work of his colleagues as Wilson did in
his first six years. He gave me a pretty free hand on defence, though, except that when
there was a crisis he liked to take control. Unfortunately, since he had neither political
principle nor much government experience to guide him, he did not give Cabinet ministers
the leadership they needed. He had no sense of direction, rarely looking more than a few 5
months ahead. His own ambition and short-term opportunism often plunged the
government into chaos. Worse still, when things went wrong he imagined everyone was
conspiring against him. To limit challenges to his leadership, he shifted his ministers
around far too often.
Source B
From a public lecture on Harold Wilson by Bernard Donoughue in 2018. Donoughue was
a lifelong Labour activist and joined Wilson’s personal staff as a political adviser in 1974.
I observed Harold Wilson closely when I was a lecturer in Politics from 1963. He was the
best political operator I ever saw and a remarkable, relaxed, party leader. He achieved
much in the years 1964 to 1970, modernising the party and keeping it united through
difficult times. He always made people feel at ease. It was hard not to like him, which
meant political colleagues usually forgave him his mistakes. He has been criticised for 5
thinking and planning for the short term but this was his strength. He always said that if a
leader doesn’t get the short term right, he may not have a long term.
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, which
of these two sources is more valuable in explaining Harold Wilson’s leadership of the
Labour Party in the years 1964 to 1970?
[25 marks]
IB/M/Jun24/7041/2S
, 3
Section B
Answer either Question 02 or Question 03.
Either
0 2 ‘Affluence and consumerism transformed British society in the 1950s.’
Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
[25 marks]
or
0 3 ‘The unions were responsible for the defeat of Edward Heath’s government in 1974.’
Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
[25 marks]
END OF QUESTIONS
IB/M/Jun24/7041/2S
, 4
There are no questions printed on this page
Copyright information
For confidentiality purposes, all acknowledgements of third-party copyright material are published in a separate booklet. This booklet is published after
each live examination series and is available for free download from www.aqa.org.uk
Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright-holders may have been unsuccessful and
AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements. If you have any queries please contact the Copyright Team.
Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
IB/M/Jun24/7041/2S
,AS
HISTORY
7041/2S
The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
Component 2S Building a new Britain, 1951–1979
Mark scheme
June 2024
Version: 1.0 Final
, MARK SCHEME – AS HISTORY – 7041/2S – JUNE 2024
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant
questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the
standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in
this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’
responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative
answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the
standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are
required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and
expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark
schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of
assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination
paper.
No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they refer to the
gender identity of others in their exam responses.
A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be credited in
exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria.
Further copies of this mark scheme are available from aqa.org.uk
Copyright information
AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal
use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for
internal use within the centre.
Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
2
, MARK SCHEME – AS HISTORY – 7041/2S – JUNE 2024
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The
descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level.
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as
instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in
the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it
meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With
practice and familiarity, you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the
lower levels of the mark scheme.
When assigning a level, you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If
the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level, ie if the response is predominantly Level 3 with a small amount of Level 4 material it would be
placed in Level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the Level 4 content.
Step 2 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate
marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an
answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This
answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer
with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then
use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be
exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points
mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
3
, MARK SCHEME – AS HISTORY – 7041/2S – JUNE 2024
Section A
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, which of
these two sources is more valuable in explaining Harold Wilson’s leadership of the
Labour Party in the years 1964 to 1970?
[25 marks]
Target: AO2
Analyse and evaluate appropriate source material, primary and/or contemporary to the period,
within the historical context.
Generic Mark Scheme
L5: Answers will display a very good understanding of the value of the sources in relation to the issue
identified in the question. They will evaluate the sources thoroughly in order to provide a
well-substantiated conclusion. The response demonstrates a very good understanding of context.
21–25
L4: Answers will provide a range of relevant well-supported comments on the value of the sources for
the issue identified in the question. There will be sufficient comment to provide a supported
conclusion but not all comments will be well-substantiated, and judgements will be limited. The
response demonstrates a good understanding of context. 16–20
L3: The answer will provide some relevant comments on the value of the sources and there will be
some explicit reference to the issue identified in the question. Judgements will however, be partial
and/or thinly supported. The response demonstrates an understanding of context. 11-15
L2: The answer will be partial. There may be either some relevant comments on the value of one
source in relation to the issue identified in the question or some comment on both, but lacking
depth and having little, if any, explicit link to the issue identified in the question. The response
demonstrates some understanding of context. 6–10
L1: The answer will either describe source content or offer stock phrases about the value of the
source. There may be some comment on the issue identified in the question but it is likely to be
limited, unsubstantiated and unconvincing. The response demonstrates limited understanding of
context. 1–5
Nothing worthy of credit. 0
4
, MARK SCHEME – AS HISTORY – 7041/2S – JUNE 2024
Indicative content
Note: This content is not prescriptive and students are not obliged to refer to the material
contained in this mark scheme. Any legitimate answer will be assessed on its merits according to
the generic levels scheme.
Students must deploy knowledge of the historical context to show an understanding of the
relationship between the sources and the issues raised in the question, when assessing the
significance of provenance, the arguments deployed in the sources and the tone and emphasis
of the sources. Descriptive answers which fail to do this should be awarded no more than Level 2
at best. Answers should address both the value and the limitations of the sources for the
particular question and purpose given.
In responding to this question, students may choose to address each source in turn or to adopt a more
comparative approach in order to arrive at a judgement. Either approach is equally valid and what
follows is indicative of the evaluation which may be relevant.
Source A: in assessing the value of this source as an explanation, students may refer to the
following:
Provenance and tone
Healey was an important Cabinet minister, a so-called ‘big hitter’ in the party (he later fought two
leadership elections); his views, therefore, carry weight and value
political autobiographies can be considered positively and negatively in terms of value: either,
authentic, insider commentaries offering important insights, or partial and subjective recollections from
participants pushing their own personal agenda; similarly, it can be argued that writing long after
events adds perspective or that judgement becomes clouded
Healey’s tone and language are almost totally critical; it might be thought, therefore, to be less
valuable because it lacks balance.
Content and argument
Healey is arguing that Wilson had significant limitations as party leader: that he was pragmatic
(short-termist) rather than principled and that he interfered too much; he implies that Wilson lacked
trust/faith in his colleagues
Healey also argues that Wilson shifted ministers around too often, fearing challenges to his leadership
– this could refer to his senior colleagues: Brown, Callaghan and Jenkins; he moved Brown from the
DEA to foreign affairs in 1966 and replaced Callaghan as Chancellor with Jenkins in 1967
as examples of Wilson’s short-termism, students could refer to devaluation (he opposed it in 1966 but
devalued a year later), or abandoning the DEA, or moving from informal co-operation with the unions
(‘beer and sandwiches’) to statutory restrictions (In Place Of Strife)
Healey’s allegations of fluctuations in policy direction might be supported by reference to immigration
and race policies: passing a liberalising Race Relations Act in 1965 but restricting immigration by the
Commonwealth Immigration Act, 1967.
5
a New Britain, 1951–1979
(Merged Question paper and marking scheme): Monday 20 May 2024
AS
HISTORY
The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
Component 2S Building a new Britain, 1951–1979
Monday 20 May 2024 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 16-page answer book.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7041/2S.
Answer two questions.
In Section A answer Question 01.
In Section B answer either Question 02 or Question 03.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 50.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice
You are advised to spend about:
– 50 minutes on Section A
– 40 minutes on Section B.
,AS History: The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
Component 2S: Building a New Britain, 1951–1979
May 2025
Key Areas to Revise:
1. The Post-War Consensus (1951–1964)
Consensus Politics: Understand the nature of the post-war consensus, where both major
political parties (Conservatives and Labour) agreed on key policies like the welfare state, the NHS,
and the mixed economy.
Conservative Rule under Churchill and Eden (1951–1957): Focus on the leadership of Winston
Churchill and Anthony Eden in the 1950s, the Suez Crisis (1956), and the effect it had on
Britain's international standing and domestic politics.
Harold Macmillan's “Affluent Society” (1957–1963): Study Macmillan's tenure, focusing on
economic growth in the 1950s, the rise of consumerism, and his famous quote “you've never had it
so good,” which reflected the relative prosperity of the time.
2. The Decline of the Post-War Consensus (1964–1970)
Labour Governments (1964–1970): Study the challenges faced by Harold Wilson’s Labour
government, including economic difficulties, inflation, and rising unemployment. Examine key
issues such as the devaluation of the pound (1967), industrial unrest, and the increased role of
the trade unions.
Social Change in the 1960s: Focus on significant social changes, such as the rise of youth culture,
the “swinging sixties”, and the liberalization of laws around divorce, abortion, and
homosexuality. Understand how these shifts in social attitudes clashed with traditional values.
3. The Economic Challenges of the 1970s
Edward Heath and the 1973 Oil Crisis: Study the impact of the 1973 oil crisis and how it led to
economic difficulties, including stagflation (high inflation and high unemployment) under Edward
Heath's Conservative government (1970–1974). Analyze the effects of Britain joining the
European Economic Community in 1973.
4. The Rise of the Welfare State and Social Reforms
Expansion of the Welfare State: Examine the continued expansion of the welfare state after World
War II, including the development of the NHS and social services, and the impact on education,
housing, and healthcare. Understand how the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s sought
to build a more equal society through welfare policies.
Key Reforms of the 1960s and 1970s: Study the introduction of key reforms, including the Open
University (1969), the abolition of the death penalty (1965), and the Equal Pay Act (1970) aimed
at tackling gender inequality.
5. The Role of Immigration and Multiculturalism
Post-War Immigration: Understand the impact of immigration from the Commonwealth,
particularly from the Caribbean, India, and Pakistan, and how this changed British society. Study the
responses to immigration, including the rise of racial tensions and the passage of the Immigration
Acts in the 1960s and 1970s, which aimed to restrict immigration.
The Rise of Multiculturalism: Examine how British society began to transform into a more
multicultural nation and the challenges it faced, including debates over integration, racism, and
identity.
IB/M/Jun24/G4002/E3 7041/2S
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From ‘The Time of My Life’, an autobiography by Denis Healey, 1989. Healey was
Defence Secretary in Wilson’s government, 1964–70.
No prime minister ever interfered so much in the work of his colleagues as Wilson did in
his first six years. He gave me a pretty free hand on defence, though, except that when
there was a crisis he liked to take control. Unfortunately, since he had neither political
principle nor much government experience to guide him, he did not give Cabinet ministers
the leadership they needed. He had no sense of direction, rarely looking more than a few 5
months ahead. His own ambition and short-term opportunism often plunged the
government into chaos. Worse still, when things went wrong he imagined everyone was
conspiring against him. To limit challenges to his leadership, he shifted his ministers
around far too often.
Source B
From a public lecture on Harold Wilson by Bernard Donoughue in 2018. Donoughue was
a lifelong Labour activist and joined Wilson’s personal staff as a political adviser in 1974.
I observed Harold Wilson closely when I was a lecturer in Politics from 1963. He was the
best political operator I ever saw and a remarkable, relaxed, party leader. He achieved
much in the years 1964 to 1970, modernising the party and keeping it united through
difficult times. He always made people feel at ease. It was hard not to like him, which
meant political colleagues usually forgave him his mistakes. He has been criticised for 5
thinking and planning for the short term but this was his strength. He always said that if a
leader doesn’t get the short term right, he may not have a long term.
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, which
of these two sources is more valuable in explaining Harold Wilson’s leadership of the
Labour Party in the years 1964 to 1970?
[25 marks]
IB/M/Jun24/7041/2S
, 3
Section B
Answer either Question 02 or Question 03.
Either
0 2 ‘Affluence and consumerism transformed British society in the 1950s.’
Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
[25 marks]
or
0 3 ‘The unions were responsible for the defeat of Edward Heath’s government in 1974.’
Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
[25 marks]
END OF QUESTIONS
IB/M/Jun24/7041/2S
, 4
There are no questions printed on this page
Copyright information
For confidentiality purposes, all acknowledgements of third-party copyright material are published in a separate booklet. This booklet is published after
each live examination series and is available for free download from www.aqa.org.uk
Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright-holders may have been unsuccessful and
AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements. If you have any queries please contact the Copyright Team.
Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
IB/M/Jun24/7041/2S
,AS
HISTORY
7041/2S
The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
Component 2S Building a new Britain, 1951–1979
Mark scheme
June 2024
Version: 1.0 Final
, MARK SCHEME – AS HISTORY – 7041/2S – JUNE 2024
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant
questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the
standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in
this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’
responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative
answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the
standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are
required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and
expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark
schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of
assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination
paper.
No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they refer to the
gender identity of others in their exam responses.
A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be credited in
exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria.
Further copies of this mark scheme are available from aqa.org.uk
Copyright information
AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal
use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for
internal use within the centre.
Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
2
, MARK SCHEME – AS HISTORY – 7041/2S – JUNE 2024
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The
descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level.
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as
instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in
the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it
meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With
practice and familiarity, you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the
lower levels of the mark scheme.
When assigning a level, you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If
the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level, ie if the response is predominantly Level 3 with a small amount of Level 4 material it would be
placed in Level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the Level 4 content.
Step 2 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate
marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an
answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This
answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer
with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then
use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be
exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points
mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
3
, MARK SCHEME – AS HISTORY – 7041/2S – JUNE 2024
Section A
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, which of
these two sources is more valuable in explaining Harold Wilson’s leadership of the
Labour Party in the years 1964 to 1970?
[25 marks]
Target: AO2
Analyse and evaluate appropriate source material, primary and/or contemporary to the period,
within the historical context.
Generic Mark Scheme
L5: Answers will display a very good understanding of the value of the sources in relation to the issue
identified in the question. They will evaluate the sources thoroughly in order to provide a
well-substantiated conclusion. The response demonstrates a very good understanding of context.
21–25
L4: Answers will provide a range of relevant well-supported comments on the value of the sources for
the issue identified in the question. There will be sufficient comment to provide a supported
conclusion but not all comments will be well-substantiated, and judgements will be limited. The
response demonstrates a good understanding of context. 16–20
L3: The answer will provide some relevant comments on the value of the sources and there will be
some explicit reference to the issue identified in the question. Judgements will however, be partial
and/or thinly supported. The response demonstrates an understanding of context. 11-15
L2: The answer will be partial. There may be either some relevant comments on the value of one
source in relation to the issue identified in the question or some comment on both, but lacking
depth and having little, if any, explicit link to the issue identified in the question. The response
demonstrates some understanding of context. 6–10
L1: The answer will either describe source content or offer stock phrases about the value of the
source. There may be some comment on the issue identified in the question but it is likely to be
limited, unsubstantiated and unconvincing. The response demonstrates limited understanding of
context. 1–5
Nothing worthy of credit. 0
4
, MARK SCHEME – AS HISTORY – 7041/2S – JUNE 2024
Indicative content
Note: This content is not prescriptive and students are not obliged to refer to the material
contained in this mark scheme. Any legitimate answer will be assessed on its merits according to
the generic levels scheme.
Students must deploy knowledge of the historical context to show an understanding of the
relationship between the sources and the issues raised in the question, when assessing the
significance of provenance, the arguments deployed in the sources and the tone and emphasis
of the sources. Descriptive answers which fail to do this should be awarded no more than Level 2
at best. Answers should address both the value and the limitations of the sources for the
particular question and purpose given.
In responding to this question, students may choose to address each source in turn or to adopt a more
comparative approach in order to arrive at a judgement. Either approach is equally valid and what
follows is indicative of the evaluation which may be relevant.
Source A: in assessing the value of this source as an explanation, students may refer to the
following:
Provenance and tone
Healey was an important Cabinet minister, a so-called ‘big hitter’ in the party (he later fought two
leadership elections); his views, therefore, carry weight and value
political autobiographies can be considered positively and negatively in terms of value: either,
authentic, insider commentaries offering important insights, or partial and subjective recollections from
participants pushing their own personal agenda; similarly, it can be argued that writing long after
events adds perspective or that judgement becomes clouded
Healey’s tone and language are almost totally critical; it might be thought, therefore, to be less
valuable because it lacks balance.
Content and argument
Healey is arguing that Wilson had significant limitations as party leader: that he was pragmatic
(short-termist) rather than principled and that he interfered too much; he implies that Wilson lacked
trust/faith in his colleagues
Healey also argues that Wilson shifted ministers around too often, fearing challenges to his leadership
– this could refer to his senior colleagues: Brown, Callaghan and Jenkins; he moved Brown from the
DEA to foreign affairs in 1966 and replaced Callaghan as Chancellor with Jenkins in 1967
as examples of Wilson’s short-termism, students could refer to devaluation (he opposed it in 1966 but
devalued a year later), or abandoning the DEA, or moving from informal co-operation with the unions
(‘beer and sandwiches’) to statutory restrictions (In Place Of Strife)
Healey’s allegations of fluctuations in policy direction might be supported by reference to immigration
and race policies: passing a liberalising Race Relations Act in 1965 but restricting immigration by the
Commonwealth Immigration Act, 1967.
5
