Business as usual (policy)

This article is about a British government policy during World War I. For the business practice, see Business as usual (business).

Business as usual was a policy followed by the British government, under Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, during the early years of the First World War.^[1] Its fundamental belief was that in order to maintain a stable and functioning country, it was necessary to continue society in the same manner as before the war; in other words, that civilians should think of the war as "business as usual". The underlying assumption was that a morale-eroding change in behaviour equated to a victory for the enemy.

The maxim of the British people is 'Business as usual'.

Winston Churchill, speaking at Guildhall, 9 November 1914.^[2]

The term itself is attributed to Winston Churchill, then a prominent "New Liberal".^[3]

See also

• Normalcy