1906-1914 (The Liberal Crisis)- Social (Social Issues)

Question 1

Who are the upper class?

Answer 1

Wealthy landowners whose family dominated GB society.

Contained Lords and now also big factory owners

Question 2

Who are the upper middle class?

Answer 2

Factory owners, professionals (lawyers, doctors etc.)

Question 3

Who are the lower middle class?

Answer 3

Non manual employees such as shopkeepers

They earned less than skilled workers yet had higher social standing

Question 4

Who are the working class?

Answer 4

Made up 75% of the population

28% skilled, 34% semi skilled, 9% unskilled

Unskilled workers lived in poverty as they couldn’t afford to provide enough for their family

Question 5

Who provided the first scientific estimates of poverty?

Answer 5

Charles Booth (interviewed 4000 people)

Question 6

What percentage did the government estimate the extent of poverty to be, and what did Booth find it was?

Answer 6

Gov= 25%
Booth= closer to 30%

Question 7

Where did Booth study?

Answer 7

London

Question 8

What did Rowntree say the main causes of poverty were?

Answer 8

Economic factors, namely unemployment and low wages

Question 9

Where did Rowntree study?

Answer 9

York

Question 10

What % of poverty did Rowntree discover?

Answer 10

28%

Question 11

What was the required earnings needed to stay out of poverty (stay above the poverty line)?

Answer 11

21 shillings

Question 12

What 3 things did families in poverty suffer?

Answer 12

• Lack of education
• Poor diet
• Substandard housing

Question 13

What did both Booth and Rowntree conclude the solution would have to be?

Answer 13

An approach by society, not just the individual

Question 14

How much would the Liberals social reforms cost?

Answer 14

£16m

Question 15

How did the government raise the money needed for social reforms?

Answer 15

Imposed new taxes (primarily on wealthier people)

Question 16

Who was the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1909 who introduced the Peoples Budget?

Answer 16

David Lloyd George

Question 17

What was ‘progressive taxation’?

Answer 17

Income tax on a sliding scale

Those with incomes under £3k paid 9d for every pound they earned

Those with incomes over £3k paid 1s2d for every pound they earned

Question 18

How much did a person have to earn to be included in the ‘super tax’?

Answer 18

£5k

Question 19

What were cars taxed according by, and who did this impact?

Answer 19

According to horsepower
3d/gallon tax on petrol

The rich as they were the only ones who could afford cars

Question 20

What was the ‘death duties’?

Answer 20

Inheritance tax on estates worth more than £5k

Question 21

How were landowners taxed for selling land?

Answer 21

Tax on profits made

Question 22

Why did the 1909 budget become known as the ‘People’s Budget’?

Answer 22

Because the rich paid the greatest proportion of tax by a significant margin

Question 23

The People’s Budget was passed through the HoC, but was blocked by the HoL. Why?

Answer 23

Strong Conservative majority in HoL

The Lords would be hardest hit by the budget

This caused a constitutional crisis

Question 24

What did the Torys call the People’s Budget?

Answer 24

“An act of class warfare”

Question 25

What did DLG say about the People’s Budget?

Answer 25

“This is a war budget. It is for raising money to wage implacable warfare against poverty and squalidness”

Question 26

What was the 1906 Education Act?

Answer 26

Free school meals for needy children

Question 27

What was the 1906 Workmen’s Compensation Act?

Answer 27

Extended provision for compensation to workers due to accidents at work/work related diseases

Question 28

What was the 1907 Education Act?

Answer 28

Free medical inspection

Question 29

What was the 1908 Children’s Act/ what did it include?

Answer 29

protection of children against neglect
juvenile courts
young offenders centres
sale of tobacco and alcohol to children to be illegal

Question 30

What was the 1908 Old Age Pensions Act?

Answer 30

Pension of 5s/week for a single person, and 7s6d/week for a married couple

Question 31

What was the 1909 Trade Boards?

Answer 31

Fixed minimum wage and inspection of conditions in certain trades

Question 32

What was the 1909 Labour Exchanges?

Answer 32

Places set up for employers to meet those seeking work

Question 33

What was the 1911 National Insurance (unemployment) act?

Answer 33

Receive weekly benefit of 7s/week for 15 weeks for certain trades (insured trades)

Question 34

What was the 1911 National Insurance (sickness) Act?

Answer 34

Compulsory scheme that covered workers from loss of earnings whilst sick

Question 35

What was the 1911 Shops Act?

Answer 35

Weekly half day holiday for shop workers

Question 36

What were the 1908 and 1911 Coal Mines Acts?

Answer 36

Fixed 8 hour day underground, improved safety conditions

Question 37

Did the Liberals achieve what they intended?

Answer 37

Yes- to create a basic minimum (a ‘lifebelt’)

Question 38

Did the majority of the poor benefit?

Answer 38

Yes- they saw a significant boost in their incomes

Question 39

Give 4 criticisms of the Liberals and their attempt at social reform?

Answer 39

• Short supply of decent housing
• No attempt to reform the Poor Law
• No reform to education (after their 1906 Education Bill was rejected, they gave up on that)
• Those with large families received no specific help