British Spec Point Four Flashcards
Background
In the 19th century the government didn’t help the poor by taxing the rich and using their money to help the poor because of Laissez Faire. However the scale of the poverty has made the government realise that they had to do something as they can’t have a bad economy and lots of people with poor health especially with a World War coming up.
Booth and Rowntree
Charles Booth and Seeholm Rowntree investigated poverty in London and York and reported shocking results to government (not essential but good reminders for context).
Booth n Rowntree Surveys K1
1889 Booth investigated poverty in East London and found that 39% of population in deep poverty
Booth n Rowntree Surveys K2
1903 Seeholm Rowntree produced a report while investigating poverty in York-defining poverty as Primary (Person doesn’t earn enough to be above poverty line) and secondary (person only below poverty line because wasted money on unessential such as alcohol).
Booth N Rowntree ANP
It took almost 20 years after Booth’s report for the reforms to happen suggesting that the government and public wasn’t ready for intervention and needed more persuading-so maybe not the main reason.
Booth N Rowntree Eval
Despite the wait still main reason because as historian D.Fraser said “Booth and Rowntree gave to the growing public concern over poverty the statistical evidence of which to build the case for state aid.”
Fears over National Security
1906 Gov concerned poverty would decrease chances of winning a war against a powerful country.
Nat Security K1
Pre 1906 25% of volunteers who signed up to war v South African Boers (which U.K. struggled to defeat) were unfit to go to war.
Nat Security k2
By the end of 19th century Germany was building a strong economy after introducing reforms and benefits.
Nat Security ANP
Government could bring in conscription if desperate for soldiers.
Nat Security Eval
Quite important but A.Sytes said “The high proportion of army volunteers from large towns rejected as physically unfit” confirmed Booth and Rowntree’s surveys
New Liberalism not essential
By 06 Liberals considering introducing news reforms.
Lib k1
1908 Campbell Bannerman (Lib Leader and PM) died opening the opportunity for revolutionary ideas
Just need to know surname not full name
Lib k2
New PM (Lib leader) appointed David Lloyd George as chancellor (had interventionist ideas)
Lib Anp
Not all Liberals were interventionists and some believed children were the parents not the government’s job to look after and that reforms would be too expensive.
