Under New Management: Energy Resource Allocation in Great War Britain
Date
2023-03-17
Authors
Davenport, Daniel
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Abstract
My research project, Under New Management: Energy Resource Allocation in Great War Britain, examines the distribution of coal, Britain’s main energy source, during the First World War. By the eve of the Great War, Coal had become part of the life of the British people. However, access to coal was not guaranteed. Many households struggled to afford much heating. Through the first introduction of state control over Britain’s energy system, the Great War changed that.
Coal was the crucial fuel of the war effort; it fuelled production, heating, and transportation. The demand for coal outstripped supply due to the need to export to allies, limited labour, challenges in transportation, and high consumer and industrial demand. In response, the British government intervened to manage Britain’s energy resources directly. One core enemy policy was energy (coal, gas, and electricity) rationing instituted in 1918 to reduce domestic energy use. This system intentionally broadened access to coal by prioritising the smallest purchasers, as had never been done before. Although the Great War was a devastating humanitarian catastrophe, many workers left the conflict better off than in 1914.
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Keywords
coal, public policy, rationing, energy, energy history, World War I