British Depth Study 1890-1918 Flashcards
What did the poor face problems with in the 1890s?
Unemployment Poor housing Low wage Illness - couldn't work No help to old, sick of unemployed Unpredictability of work
Why did the Liberal Government bring in reforms in 1906? Part 1.
Changing Attitudes…
People thought poverty was an individual’s own responsibility - they were lazy
Politicians believed that people should work hard for their money and save up for their elder years
Workhouses were made purposely harsh
Charities could help but most depended on family help
How it changed…
People saw poverty came from many different factors
People thought the government should do more to help those in poverty
Why did the Liberal Government bring in reforms in 1906? Part 2.
Social Reforms... Charles Booth : 1889 - 1902 London Life and Labour of the people in London Seebohm Rowntree : 1901 York Poverty: A study of town life Both found... 30% lived in or under the poverty line The elderly and the young were at the most risk Poverty came from unemployment, illness or age
Why did the Liberal Government bring in reforms in 1906? Part 3.
Boer War 1899-1902 1 in 3 men were unfit for service Worse in certain areas People began to think if they can't work on the battle field, how can they work in factories
Why did the Liberal Government bring in reforms in 1906? Part 4.
Political Factors…
Dynamic Individuals
- Lloyd Geroge and Churchill believed in reforms and if they did them people would be better off and stronger
Rivalry with Labour Party
1900 - LAB MPs 2 LIB MPs 183
1906 - LAB MPs 29 LIB MPs 399
Dec 1910 - LAB MPs 42 LIB MPs 272
Liberals wanted to win over ordinary people so they’d choose lib not lab
What were the reforms for children
Free school meals 1906
By 1914 - 150,000 children received a free school meal per day
School medical inspections 1907
Children got free medical checks but weren’t treated
Children and young persons act 1908
Borstals for children convicts
Children could have parents prosecuted for neglect
School clinics 1912
Children were treated for their illnesses
What were the reforms for the old
Old age pensions act 1908
over 70s received 5s a week
Could be refused if they failed to work to the best of their ability in the working life
What were the reforms for the working people
Labour Exchanges 1909
Set up to help the unemployed to find work
1913 - 3,000 jobs a day for the unemployed
National Insurance Act Pt 1
Sick pay for 10 weeks at 5s per week had to pay 4d in return
National Insurance Act Pt 2
Unemployment pay of 7s 6d per week for 15 weeks in return for 2.5d per week
Arguments for female suffrage
Improve lives of women - better education, equal working conditions
Australia and New Zealand had given women the vote
Women were already involved at a local level - boards of education
Paid the same taxes as men
Against women suffrage
Separate spheres Most women didn't want it Women were irrational and emotional Had to give it to all men - some who are not worthy Women didn't fight in wars
Suffragists
NUWSS Millicent Fawcett Formed in 1897 1914 - 400 branches and 100,000 members Mainly middle class Very good at propaganda Ran political campaigns Wrote to MPs Held large rallies - Hyde park demonstration 1908
Were the suffragists effective?
No, didn’t get the vote by 1914
Yes, managed to get the women’s suffrage bill proposed a number of times between 1900 and 1914 - the closest was the conciliation bill of 1910 that was discarded by the liberals
Kept women’s suffrage in the public eye when Prime Minister Asquith didn’t want it
Suffragettes
WSPU
Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Sylvia and Christabel
Frustrated by the lack of progress in the women’s movement
Direct action
Suffragettes
Believed it would make women’s suffrage a major issue and attract publicity
Began in 1908
Breaking windows
Chaining themselves to railings
Government responded by force feeding which led to the ‘Cat and Mouse Act’ in 1913
Hunger Strikers released to recover then recaptured to finish their sentence
Violent protests stopped in 1910
But began again in 1912 after the Conciliations Bill failure
Biggest was Emily Davidson jumped in front of King George V’s racehorse at the Epsom Derby and died 4 days later
Were the Suffragettes effective?
Didn’t achieve vote by 1914
Divided women’s movement - 1909 onwards the suffragists distanced themselves
Turned some MPs against female suffrage
However :
Female suffrage was never forgotten
Votes for Women newspaper had 40,000 readers by 1914
Admiration towards willingness - hunger strikes = sympathy
