1900-1906 Flashcards
How many seats did the conservatives get in the 1900 election
334
How many seats did the conservatives get in the 1900 election
334
How many seats did the INP get in the 1900 election
82
How many seats did the Labour Party get in the 1900 election
2
When was the boer war
1899-1902
In the 1900 what countries were in the British empire
Canada, Australia, India, South Africa, east Africa, New Zealand
What was the position of Gb by 1900 politically
Monarch strong force in politics
House of Commons- elected in
House of Lords- appointed by queen
Men could vote as long as they owned a property
What was the position of Gb by 1900 economically
Mid Victorian boom
1850’s followed a policy of free trade and laizzez faire economics
Rivals Germany (education and engineering) and America ( agriculture for cheap grain)
What was the position of Gb by 1900 internationally
Largest empire in the world
Key issues in Africa and India. Africa held last land left to be colonised- Germany interested in
India “jewel in the crown”
What was the position of Gb by 1900 socially
Official religion was Anglican, those who weren’t were called non conformists
3 classes- landowning, middle class, working class ( split into 2 section factory and unskilled)
Ethos that if you were poor it was because you were lazy
Women increased employment, suffragette movement
What was the population in Britain C.1900
38 million
What w the British army size in C.1900
975,000
Who did surveys on poverty C.1900
Rowntree (York) and booth (London and Liverpool)
What is primary poverty
Where a persons wages fall short of their needs to subsist
What were the international threats in Britain C.1900
“Splendid isolation”
Concerns of rise of Germany, instability in the Balkans , tension in France, national interest
What were the political problems for Britain C.1900
War in South Africa 1899-1902
Rise of Irish nationalism- home rule
Rise in T.U and labour problems
What was the British name for South African Republic
Transvaal
When did the Transvaal declare war on Britain
1899
Why did the Transvaal declare war on Britain
Long term tension
Uitlander problem after the discovery of gold an diamonds
What is a Uitlander
S.A name for outsider/ foreigner that occupied the Transvaal
Who were the main three in the boer war
Joseph chamberlain
Alfred Milner
Paul Kruger
Who was Kruger
President of the Transvaal. Anti British, received german aid
What was the first phase of the boer war and what year
1899- boers besiege maffeking, lady smith and Kimberly
What were the British tactics in the boer war
Blockhouses- control points
Concentration camps
‘Scorched earth’ reprisals
What happened at the end of the boer war
March 1902 the boers contacted Kitchener to begin negotiations
Meet at verneeging
Peace party prevailed
British agreed to compensate the boers for destruction, once they accepted the annexation of their republics
May 31st treaty of verneeging signed
What were the casualties in the boer war
British 22,000 Boer soldiers 7,000 Boers in camps 28,000 Blacks 15,000 Farms destroyed 30,000
How much did the boer war cost the British
250 million
What were the impact of the boers war
> S.A union, development of national party dominance
British representation bad- conc camps and bad military strength
Cost ALOT
Treaty of Vereeniging
What happened in the Taff vale case
In 1900 there was a strike against the Taff vale railway. The company sued them ( the union, the Amalgamated society of railway workers) and won for £23,000
Balfour set up the royal commission which was ineffective as it want released until 1906
When was the education act
1902
What was the eduction act
Old school boards abolished
Local Education Authorities (LEA) responsible for elementary and secondary schools
Church schools received financial aids
Scholarship programs set up
Why didn’t people like the education act
Non conformists didn’t like the support of church schools
When was Chinese slavery
1903
What was Chinese slavery
When Balfour sanctioned the import of Chinese workers to help re build the economy.
They were placed in concentration camps
Why was Chinese slavery unpopular
Chinese stole jobs from white people
Concern camps were a reminder of the embarrassments of the boer war
When was the land act
1903
What was the land act
Provided government loans to Irish so peasants could become land owners
Why was the land act unpopular
It focused on the Irish. No relevance to people in England
When was the unemployed work men’s act
1905
What was the unemployed work men’s act
Helped the urban unemployed find find work through labour schemes
This was inadequate as it relied on private funds
What were some of Balfours successful policies
Ed act
Land act
Royal commission
What were the failures of Balfour
Chinese slavery -embarrassment
Taff vale - lack of action
Tariff reform - split the party, unclear
Resigning
When did Balfour resign
December 1905
What is conservatism
Defence of tradition
Reform of proven abuses
Nationalism
How many seats did the liberal get in the 1906 election
400
What was the liberal party divided over in 1906
Irish devolution
Empire
Social reform
How many seats did the conservatives get in the 1906 election
157
How many seats did the Labour Party get in the 1906 election
52*
when was the Lib-Lab pact signed
1903
who signed the Lib-Lab pact
Herbert Gladstone (Liberals) and Ramsey McDonald (LRC)
what is the LRC
Labour Representative Comity
who was the Lib-Lab pact between
Liberals and LRC
What did the Lb-Lab pact say
Liberals agreed not to put up candidates in 35 seats where the LRC had a better chance of winning, the LRC reciprocated that
in which constituencies did the Lib-Lab pact focus
where the unionists might possible win the seats in the event of a split vote between the liberals and LRC
Why did the Liberals make the Lib-Lab pact
> T.U, funding went to the liberal party, to secure the vote
the liberals had done badly in the 1900 election
avoid splitting the marginal seats
‘tactical move to head off threat of Labour
save money- not having to compete in 35 seats
avoid loss of support from skilled workers
Why did the Liberals win by a landslide victory
> Own actions- LibLab > Balfours mistakes > Boer War- national efficiency > Support base- non-conformists > Tariff Reform Issue
What was the Tariff Reform Issues
Unionists were split over the issue
Liberals agreed on Free Trade -> two loaf propaganda
Balfours Weaknesses
> exposed national efficiency > Taff Vale Case > Tarriff Reform > Chinese Slavery > Land Act only for Ireland > resigned Dec 1905 to weaken Liberals but it strengthened them- costing him the election
Balfours strengths
> Ed Act 1902
Land Act 1903
Royal Commission
Social Reforms
Children: > 1906 Ed Act free school meals > 1907- Ed Act medical inspection > 1908- Childrens Act > 1912- School clinics
Elderly:
1908 Old Age Pensions
Workers: > 1906- Trade Disputes Act > 1906- Merchant Shipping Act > 1906- Workers compensation Act > 1908- Miners Act > 1909- Osbourne judgment > 1909- People Budget > 1911- National Insurance Act >1911- T.U amendment/ union act
1906 Education Act Free School Meals
L.E.A’s could provide free school meals , not complsory
> 1924-158,000 per day with 14m. benefitting
1907 Ed Act Medical inspection
Drs and nurses to schools for medical inspections
> compolsory
> if something was wrong they had to pay for medicine
1908 Childrens Act
made children 'protected people; > parents could be prosecuted for cruelty > Poor Law Authorities responsible > no adult prison under 14 > no alcohol under 14 > no cigarettes under 16
1912 School Clinics
free medical care for children
Old Age Pensions Act 1908
> eligible if 70+ , ‘moraly fit’ , earnt £21-£31 pa. (£21 meant you got full payout0
single got 5spw
married got 7s6dpw
by 1914 14, using
1911 National Insurance Act
2 sections Health and Employment HEALTH: > workers insure themselves- COMPULSORY > workers-4d Employers- 3d Gov.-2d > received 10pw for 13 weeks
EMPLOYMENT:
> aimed at seasonal unemployment
> workers, employers and gov.- 2d each
> 7s6dpw for 15 weeks
- only for worker not family
- had to have made sufficient payments
- if you earned less than £160pa
what is New Liberalism
1] improving GB economic position 2] improving National Efficiency 3] improving efficiency 4] improve poverty 3] changing taxation
why was there new liberalism
> Boer War > National Efficiency > socialism more popular > research -> Booth and Rowntree > changing views on Tax -> 'productive' and 'unproductive' tax, lower income tax on moderate incomes
why did the Parliment crisis occour
Balfour had majority in HofL- rejected bills e.g. Bill to stop plural voting 1906 and 1909 licensing Bill aimed to restrict consumption and sale of alcohol and 1906 Ed Bill so teachers could be appointed without religious tests
what caused the parliment crisis
1909 people budget was the trigger imposing super tax ‘making the rich pay’
> HofL rejects the budget -> Asquith call them unconstitutional
Jan 1910 election results
Lib 275
cons 273
Labour 40
INP 82
Dec 1910 Election results
lib 272
con 272
Labour and INP support libs
what happened in the parliment crisis
after the 1909 budget was rejected
> Asquith threatens to go to George 5 and asked if he would appoint peers in HofL -> not bluffing
> 1911 Parliment Act
- HofL cannot reject a money bill
- Any bill passed by HofC 3 times cannot be rejected in HofL
- life of parliment 5yrs not 7
Suffragettes Context
1869- gained vote in town councils in municiple bouroughs
1870- could be elected into school boards
1875- could be elected as poor law guardians
1889- included in local gov. franchise
1881- married womans property act- if a woman took a property into a marriage she could take it out
Suffragette movments
NSWS- national society for womens sufferage
NUWSS- national union womens sufferage society
WSPU- womens social and political union
NSWS
formed 1868 and reformed 1897
> want right to vote
NUWSS
> want political emancipation BUT split over 1] all women and men over 21 get vote or 2] included on saem terms as men
WSPU
> immediate equality with men
pankhursts
ILP support
militancy of suffragettes
> attack property- smash windows, arson, vandalism, mail destruction, pepper mail, blew up post boxes, chained to railings and disrupt meetings
1913- Derby Emily Davidson
1912-> wild phase
cat and mouse act 1913 -> could be released and rearrested
Concilation Bill proposed enfranchisment of women if householder =8% of women -> rejected
1911 Asquith proposed full enfranchisment of men over 21
Ireland Background
1886/1892 - proposed 1st and 2nd home rule bill-> rejected
1903 land act-> lost political weapon
1911 parliment act = oppertunity
cultural revival in Ireland
sport- hurling
Gaelic League 1893
Gaelic Athletic Association 1884
dance and music
Irish Party leader
James Connolly- Irish National Republic
Arthur Griffiths- sinn fein
Patrick Pearse- IRB
Redmond- INP
James Connolly
Irish National Republic
> wanted industrialisation to overcome oppression
>Workers Republic newspaper
Arthur Griffiths
Sinn Fein
> united irishmen newpsper
> carry on as if independant -> ‘austrian solution’
Patrick Pearse
IRB
> romantic nationailst
> teacher- taught of evils of Britain
Redmond
INP
devolution
event of 1914 in Ireland
UVF import 25k rifles and are allowed
IVF rifels are blocked
HR suspended during WW1
Trade union context
membership increased 1910-1914 2.5-4m >real wages decreased > prices increased > unemployment fell living standards fell
militancy in Trade Unions
1910- miners strikes in wales- Tonypandy -> churchill sends troops
1911- Liverpool -> dock workers strike -> 2 killed
1911- Llanelli - 2 killed
1912- National Pit Strike
Trade union membership
union/members/strikes 1900- 1323/ 2m/ 633 1909- 1260/2.5m/422 1913- 1260/4.1m/1459 1914- 1250/4m/972
Osbourne Judgement
1909
> Made T.U contribution to political parties illegal
Trade Disputes Act
1906
> unions on strike could not be sued by employers
T.U union/Amendment Act
reversed Osbourne Judgement
The Tariff Reform Issue
> Chamberlain- british industry ‘demanded’ protection -> breathing space from cheap imports, could fund social reforms and modernisation and 1093declared himself in favour of an imperial preference tariff system designed to bring about an economic integragation of the empire
Chamberlain headed Tariff reform League 1903 -> FT unionists made Unionist Free Trade League -> Churchill deflected to Liberals
Balfour ‘fence sitting strategy’ but pro-FT
What was the threat of Labour
> 1910 creation of LRC -> reject Lib + Unionist and seek independent representation
TU membership increased
took votes
Policies
electoral seats of Labour
1900- 2
1906- 29
1910- 42
1922- 142
did the liberals cope with the threat of Labour
YES >lib-lab > social reforms > retained dominance > kept support of TU
NO
> increased militancy
> labour seats increased (2-42 1900-1910)
> Dangerfield states they did not adapt to face the threat
> 1910 50% TU Labour Affiliated
Greys foreign policy theories
> Arthur Nicholson - didn’t do enough - TE should have been turned into an alliance doing it may have made G think twice and not done Schlifflen plan
Attempted to please G too much which encouraged aggression
Harcourt- should have remained isolationist
Grey foreign policy
> 1906 ->
middle ground?
follow in footsteps of Landsdown who began brining GB out of isolation
‘ G should not count on GB neutrality but F and R should not count on our support’
response to challenge of G and the formation of Ententes
> 1902 Anglo-Japanese alliance > 1904- Entente cordiale > 1907- Triple entente > 1911- Agadir = naval agreement 1889 2 power standard > 1899-01 attempts at G/GB alliance
> 1905 morrocan > 1905 scheifflen plan completed > 1906 dreadnoughts- 'We want 8 and wont wait' 27:19 >1908 Bosnian crisis > 1911 2nd Moroccan
outbreak of war
> strategy and security
-GB in control of approaches to GB (Atlantic and N.Sea) Navy in control of trade routes
- Ireland, Holland, Belgium could be used to access GB- guarenteed neutrality and independence
Trade and Commerce
-needed to export + produce raw materials
Balance of power
- no one continental power to rule
Belgium question -> 1839 Treaty of London
Sarajevo
Asquith as a leader
> traditional ‘everything as usual’
embarrassed by Galipoli and shell crisis
Coalition 1915
conscription
resigned 1916-> son died, alcoholic and depression
Lloyd George as a leader
> set up political HQ
opposed by Asquith and 2/3 of liberals
pro-conscription
‘man who won the war’
Impact of WW1 on liberalism
> split -LG and Asquith > Coalition 1915 > DORA > Morley and Burne resigned > against pacifism and morality
Impact of WW1 on Politics
> Gov. change 14- Aq 15- coalition Aq 16- Coalition LG > party opinion changed > Ireland INP + unionists volunteer, INP wiped out and Sinn Fein increased in popularity HR -> devolution
Impact of WW1 on the Economy
> DORA
1915- treasury agreements TU increased 4-6m
1918- 80% self sufficient
mining nationalised
railways under gov. control- railways excec. committee, 10 general managers over 130 companies
fixed food prices -> wheat, rice + suga, food controller, POW and Women helped, 3mill acres made into farm land
new industries - ships to keep up with Uboat destruction
Impact on WW1 on Society
> women- increased employment, min. wage (=output or same as men), perceptions changed -> 1917 Asq. claimed pro-women, vote 1918 if over 30
Men- over 21 full sufferage or over 19 if in active service (6m- 22m voters)
Class- blured and A.Taylor ‘the war cut into the conciousness of modern man’
