B6 - Effectiveness of the Labour Reforms Flashcards
during the second world war many people…
…became aware of the social problems that existed in Britain for the first time and the social impact of the war removed class barriers and increased state dependency
what did William Beveridge recommend?
William Beveridge recommended a social security system that would be comprehensive, universal, contributory, non means tested and compulsory in order to tackle the ‘five giants’ of poverty.
what were the five giants of poverty?
- want
- disease
- squalor
- ignorance
- idleness
what did the National Insurance Act 1946 do?
provided comprehensive insurance for sickness, unemployment and maternity. This act was introduced to cover for most eventualities.
how did the NIA improve the lives of the British people?
This significantly improved the lives of the British people because it ensured that everyone had to contribute towards this insurance scheme and therefore would be entitled to receive benefits regardless of their wealth, age or gender.
limitations of the NIA
However, this act arguably did not go far enough in meeting the needs of the British people because a person needed to make 156 weekly contributions in order to be granted the benefits. This meant that many people who needed support were not yet eligible.
what did the National Assistance Act 1948 do?
Labour also introduced the National Assistance Act 1948 to aid the most vulnerable in society such as single mothers and the homeless. It was designed as a “safety net” to meet those not adequately catered for by the NIA.
how did the NAA help to improve the lives of the British people?
This was clearly effective in meeting the needs of the British people as it provided a safety barrier for those most susceptible to falling into poverty. It protected people from all classes from the cradle to the grave.
limitations of the NAA
although the National Assistance Act 1948 was means tested so the amount received was based on the income that the person claiming it had ultimately going against the Beveridge Report
NI Industrial Injuries Act
the National Insurance Industrial Injuries Act 1946 meant the government gave compensation for all injuries that happened at work and women were paid the same as men for the first time
what did the introduction of the NHS mean?
The introduction of the NHS in 1948 helped to meet the specific health needs of the British people because for the first time in British history healthcare was universal, comprehensive and free at the point of use.
how did the NHS improve the lives of the British people?
The introduction of the NHS without doubt helped to meet the needs of the British people as any person no matter what social class they belonged to could now seek health care and medication without worrying about cost.
what did the NHS allow everyone to access?
The NHS allowed everyone to access care form GPs, specialists and dentists as well as spectacles, false teeth and maternity services. In the first year of the NHS, 8 million dental patients were treated, and 5 million pairs of spectacles were issued.
limitations of the NHS
However, charges were brought in for prescriptions, spectacles and dental treatment in 1951 and 1952 which undermined the basic principle of free health care for all so the NHS arguably did not meet the needs of the British people.
expense of the NHS
the enormous expense of the NHS came as a shock and by 1950 it was costing £358 million a year, far outstripping the budgeted £140 million a year.
evidence the NHS was improving public health
between 1946 and 1950 infant mortality rates fell 50% and childhood scourges like rickets and malnutrition were almost eliminated clearly showing the success of the reform in meeting the needs of the British people.
why did the Labour govt pledge to improve living conditions?
after housing shortages were made even worse by the Blitz.
Labour’s target for homes
The Labour government looked to defeat the giant of squalor by setting a target of building 200,000 homes a year
how new homes improved the lives of the British people
This target was a clear attempt of the government to meet the British people’s needs as many of these homes would provide indoor sanitation and more living space which enabled families to live more comfortably.
New Towns Act 1946
The New Towns Act 1946 was introduced in response to the large growth of the population and gave the government the power to decide where to build new towns and ensure they were pleasant to live in.
limitations of the New Towns Act
However, these new towns were described as “concrete jungles” and lacked basic amenities such as pubs, cinemas and even shops. The houses were far from work and therefore did not fully meet the needs of the British people.
what did the 1951 census reveal?
the 1951 census revealed that there were 750,000 fewer houses than there were households in Britain which was roughly the same level of homelessness as in 1931
did Labour meet their target?
by 1951 Labour were averaging well over their 200,000 target and new council homes were often of a better quality with separate kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms ultimately defeating the giant of squalor.
why was ignorance needing to be tackled?
war and evacuation severely disrupted education.
