Effectiveness of Liberal Reforms 1906-1914

Question 1

Effectiveness of Liberal Reforms 1906-1914
Introduction:

Answer 1

• BK: Government attitudes were changing from laissez faire to collectivist in the early 1900s
• BK: Government decided they would support the public if they paid contributions
• Factors: Young, old, sick, working class
• LOA: Effective to some extent, but with some key failures

Question 2

Effectiveness of Liberal Reforms 1906-1914
Young

Answer 2

• KU: Education (Provision of Meals) Act 1906 allowed local authorities to provide school meals for children in poverty
• KU: 158,000 children were fed by the scheme which was 50% funded by the treasury
• A: By 1914, 14 million children has access to school meals, improving health and academic success
• A+: School meals were not compulsory and in 1912 only 131/322 local councils provided them
• E: Body weight usually declined during the holidays, showing the limited success.

Question 3

Effectiveness of Liberal Reforms 1906-1914
Old

Answer 3

• KU: Old Age Pension Act 1908 gave people aged over 70 who earned less than £21 yearly 5s a week.
• KU: Over 70s who earned £21-£31:50 got less than 5s a week and married couples got 7s6d.
• A: Pensions were collected at the post office which reduced the stigma around receiving government help that existed from Poor Houses
• A+:Payments kept pensioners under the poverty line so they would have to work alongside their pension to earn enough to live comfortably
• E: Life expectancy was only 45 for men and 48 for women so most people died before they were old enough to receive a pension

Question 4

Effectiveness of Liberal Reforms 1906-1914
Sick

Answer 4

• KU: National Insurance Act Part 1 in 1911 made health insurance compulsory for anyone earning under £160 each year
• KU: Contributory scheme meant that those too sick to work got 9s for 13 weeks and 5s for another 13 weeks
• A: Provided an income for those too ill to work
• A+: Only lasted for 26 weeks and anyone ill for longer had to go to Poor Houses
• E: Not effective as health insurance only covered the worker and not their family

Question 5

Effectiveness of Liberal Reforms 1906-1914
Working Class

Answer 5

• KU: Workmen’s Compensation Act 1906 compensated those who became ill or injued at or because of their place of work
• KU: Trade Boards Act 1909 determined minimum wages in professions such as tailoring and box-making
• A: Effective because workplaces took responsibility for the wellbeing of their workers and it made injured people more likely to recover
• A+: The term minimum wage was not defined, and some professions still did not have minimum wages
• E: Made conditions safer in jobs from mining to tailoring, however shop workers were still only given a half-day break every week, showing the limitations to the success of the reforms.