Emergence of the Labour Party Flashcards
What 4 factors led to the growth and emergence of the Labour Party at the turn of the 19th Century to 20th Century?
1) Political ideology: socialism and Liberalism
2)Trade Unions : New unions
3)Socio-economic problems at the end of the 19th C
4)Hostility of Conservative Government and judiciary to trade unions
Why was there a revival in socialism at the end of the 19th C?
-Economic difficulties - poor wages, unemployment and long hours
-Radicals disillusioned by Gladstone’s liberal party and American Henry George’s ideas became popular although he was not socialist (just wanted to reform capitalism.
What were the qualities of British Socialism?
-Was not as radical: adapted liberal and socialist ideas together
What were the 3 divisions of the Socialist movement?
-Social Democratic Federation (SDF)
-Fabian Society
-Independent Labour Party
Who was the leader of SDF and facts about him?
-Hyndman
-Ex-Tory
-Unable to work effectively with the bulk of trade union movement who he saw as too politically conservative ( they disliked his liberal ideas)
Why was the SDF significant?
-Followed Marxist-sociaism
-Published investigations that exposed terrible labour conditions to the labour movement
-Tillet (led dockers strike), Mann and Burns was a member
-Influence centred in London as supporters Dominated London trades council
What was the following of the Fabian Society founded in 1884?
-Mostly m/c who were intellectual and hostile to political activism
What were the ideas of the fabain society?
-“inevitability of gradualism” - believed socialism would gradually develop and that no movement was needed to lead to socialism
-Were against self-organisation of workers (unions) so struggled to work with unions or create a political party (thought they did not need 1)
Who was the leaders of the Fabian society?
-Beatrice and Sidney Webb
-Webbs influenced the design and direction of the Labour Party later on (despite SDF being against political parties)
When was the Independent Labour Party a) founded and b) who was its leader c) where was it based and d) what did it exclude?
a)founded in 1893
b)Leader = Keir Hardie
c) centred in Bradford
d) Excluded socialism: did not want to deter union support
How many Mp’s did the ILP win in 1892?
3: Hardie (West Ham), Burns (Battersea) and Wilson (Middlesborough)
What were the aims of the ILP?
-Hardie wanted a party that was entirely independent of other parliamentary parties (had already established Scottish Labour Party in 1888
Who was in the ILP by 1895?
-Hardie, Tom Mann (the docker’s leader), Ramsay MacDonald ( Labour’s first PM in 1929, Phillip Snowden (labour Chancellor in 1929)
In 1895, how many ILP stood as a candidate in the general election and how many lost?
-ILP stood for 28 constituencies, and all 28 lost (inc. Hardie)
When had New Unions start to emerge?
-Late 1880s
Which 3 famous strikes involved the actions of the new Unions?
-Match-girl strikes at Byrant and May in 1887 (helped by Fabian Annie Besant
-Gasworkers union established in 1889 by socialist Will Thorne which achieved an 8 hr day
-London Dockers strike ( which won Docker’s tanner) in 1889 led by socialists Ben Tillet, Tom Mann and John Burns
What response from Employers was there to New Unions and Model Unions?
-Employers Federation
-Lock-outs to achieve wage cuts in 1893-1896
-Strikes being defeated: Amalgamated Society Of Engineers , leading model union, went on strike in 1890s (it was defeated)
Was there a consensus that a separate Labour Party was needed?
-NO, majority of trade unions had not accepted the need for independent labour representation
What happened in 1896 which changed the opinions of the Trade Union Congress (TUC)?
-High court decision in Lyons v Wilkins interpreted the picketing provisions of Disraeli’s Trade Union Act 1875 which severely restricted the right to picket practically making it illegal again)
-Liberals and Conservatives were indifferent to it
When was the Labour Representation Committee(LRC) established after a vote by TUC?
-1900
a)What 2 examples showed there was still hostility towards Labour representation by Unions and b)consequence?
a) Cotton and Coal unions (both Lib-Lab) had voted against setting up LRC and unaffiliated
b) Deprived the LRC of substantial funds and support
What showed that the workers were more radical than Liberal leaders of the Unions?
-Strikes in 1910-1912: the mine workers rebelled against their union leadership and went on strike.
In 1900 election, a) how many candidates did the LRC put forwards and b) how many were elected?
a) 15 candidates put forwards
b)2 Elected ( then 1 as Burns defected to the Liberals)
a)What happened in 1901 which altered remaining hostility and indifference to unions and LRC and b) what did it do?
a)Taff vale case
b) Railway union was sued by a company for the economic loss it had suffered from a successful strike: HOL found in favour of the company and union faced demand for damages of £23,000 and legal costs £20,000
- This meant unions would be liable for all damage for the strikes they organised
a) When was the secret Lib-Lab Pact agreed between Labour and Liberals and B) what did it mean
a) 1903
b) meant that 30 LRC candidates would be unopposed by Liberals (to prevent splitting the anti-tory vote) if LRC would support Liberals in other constituencies and a Liberal Government
-formed a progressive alliance
Between 1906 and 1914, what did the Labour Party mainly represent?
-Trade Union Party (NOT a w/c one)
a)Why did the Osbourne judgment threaten the Labour Party and b)when was it?
b) 1909
a)As it decreed that trade unions could not use their funds for political reasons - trade union funds paid for Labour candidates (they did not have enough money to put a candidate up for all constituencies as it was)
What 2 acts of parliament were the Labour able to push for?
1) Trades Dispute Act 1906 - reversed the Taff vale judgment
2) Trade Union Act 1913 - reversed the Osbourne judgment
What was another act of parliament which Labour lobbied for and improved w/c representation.
-Payment of MP’s Act 1911
a)What was percentage of w/c had trade union membership and b) what did this mean for Labour’s contributions?
a) 10% of w/c was a member of unions
b)This meant that Labour’s contributions to Edwardian social reform was limited to organised Labour and overshadowed by Liberal
a)How many LRC candidates were put up for the 1906 election and b) how many won a seat
a) 50 LRC candidates put up
b) 29 won a seat (one lib-lab Mp joined them to make it 30) - adopted the name the Labour Party thereafter in parliament
How many Mp’s did Labour achieve in 1910 election?
-42 MPs ( most because of the electoral alliance with Liberals)
