"I think there is something cultural about Americans believing theirs is the land of opportunity and it's up to you to make the best of your lot – if you struggle it's your own fault."
Well in part I think it is the whole "American Dream" thing. People do seem to be willing to put up with hardships because they believe that they too can make it.
In part it is also a deeply rooted cultural thing about "Big Government" and it's "evils".
In part it's something that our society also had until the end of WW2.
"America was pretty heavily involved in WW2 as well, albeit two years later than us and never on their own. Maybe the difference is it was only their troops who had direct experience, unlike British civilians who were being bombed and suffering food and other shortages and living with the threat of invasion?"
Yes it's that latter part that I meant.
The British people suffered throughout the way and the country emerged on the verge of bankruptcy.
America's military contributions cannot be questioned or doubted.
But on a social front life was very different. Through the war average household incomes and the complete national income soared.
US Industry and it's economy ended the war in a very healthy state, arguably healthier than they were going in and many people "credit" the war with finally ending the great recession in the US.
So the British people wanted change and I think in part we wanted a "reward". Other European countries seem to have also thought the same way.
The American's didn't have that, so I don't think that they underwent the shift that we did that lead to us wanting state provisioned health care for all.
If WW2 hadn't have had the effects on the country that it did then perhaps we'd have a similar system to the US.
If WW2 had had have those effects on the US then perhaps it would have a system similar to ours.