2. Life during the Depression Flashcards
Key Word: Hunger March
A March in protest of poverty and unemployment, marches began in autumn of 1931
Key Word: Coalition government
a government that several political parties co-operate.
national government was the name given to the conservative/labour coalition government of the 1930s
Key word: domestic service
Working in others homes. e.g. cooking and cleaning
What was the dole?
The name of payments created by the Unemployment act of 1929 for unemployed workers while they looked for jobs.
39 weeks of benefits
What did people think of the dole?
some thought it would be too expensive as unemployment increased and discourage people to look for work.
What was the means test?
Introduced in 1931 to reduce amount of dole paid. Before you could receive the dole your house had to be inspected to check possessions and savings. If a house hold had any other incomes, reductions were made to the weekly payment. max payment varied area to area. carried out by PAC (Public assistant committees)
Why were people against the means test
- Strain on family life
- Thought gov cared more about saving money than helping
- invasion of privacy
- Didn’t like sending relatives away
- humiliating
- made it more difficult to get on the dole
- some local authorities applied test harshly, some refused yo carry it out
- lead to dramatic fall of living standards of the unemployed.
How did the unemployment rates change during The Depression?
rose to 2.5 mil in 1933, 25% of the workforce
What areas were worst hit by unemployment?
Areas of heavy industry (mainly coal, iron, steel, shipbuilding) in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and North England
Why was Jarrow hit badly?
Already struggling due to dependence shipbuilding industry, When Palmers shipyard closed unemployment rose to 68%
cycle of unemployment
demands for goods in Britain decreased causing businesses to close and more unemployment
How much was the dole
not enough to cover basic necessities (clothing, food etc) and was cut by 10% in 1931
what was the average max a family could earn on the dole
2 adults and 3 children £1.46/week, was raised to £1.80/week in 1936
below average age of £3
what was the Jarrow march
hunger march 1936, from Jarrow to London. 200 men led by Mayor MP Ellen Wilkinson. 450km
Received support form public, none in London or by government.
Causes of the Jarrow march
worst affected during depression, most unemployed or reliant on Palmers shipyard (closed in 1933), malnutrition and poor health wide spread. unemployment 80%
Why did the National Unemployed Workers Movement object to the Jarrow march
They didn’t like the non-political nature
Achievements of the Jarrow March
petition represented in House of Commons, men returned heroes, police praised for organisation and behaviour, supported by public, changed public image of hunger marches
Limitations of Jarrow march
March and petition did not cause government to act, Prime minister, Stanley Baldwin, ignored petition.
Rhondda march 1932
area of 16 mining communities hit by depression. Oct 1932nation iwde hunger marhc aiming to converge in London. 375 of 2500 from Rhondda, presented petition demanding abolition of means test and 10% cut of dole. police confiscated petition.
Rhondda march 1936
Another march from Rhondda, 504 marchers and backed by labour party, achieved llittle
what was the poverty levels in York
1936, 30% unemployed and 70% living below poverty line.
How were diets effected by ‘making ends meet’
cheap food - more likely to suffer form malnutrition, in 1936 4.5 mil had inadequate diets, 5 mil on top of that suffered from some form of deficiency, 1/10 of population (including 1/5 children) undernourished. mainly ate bread, margarine, sugar, potato, little meat and veg
How were women effected by the depression
often first to be laid off, number in domestic service went up, national insurance only covered worker so not covered for medical treatment, usually put children first (food medical bills etc.)
how were children effected by the depression?
poor diet increased infant mortality rate, during 30’s for every rich child dead, there were 8 dead from poor families, poor children much more likely to get sick (bronchitis, pneumonia etc)
