Impact of the Boer War Flashcards
1
Q
What was the issue of national efficiency
A
- became a concern after the end of the Boer war where 30,000 boers held out against British forces for almost 3 years.
- During the war, it had been difficult to recruit soldiers from within Britain itself because so many men were
not really fit for active service. - Living conditions and diet in Britain were not good and men from the Empire tended to be healthier.
- The industrial north-west was probably the worst area with only 3000 of the 11000 volunteers from
Manchester being fit enough to be accepted into military service. - Across the media and political sector, there was concern that the nation needed to be better educated and
healthier.
-> Journalists often referred to Britain as a nation of amateurs.
2
Q
What measures were taken to deal with national efficiency
A
- 1902 Education Act raised standards and the extent of education, leading to an extra 1000 secondary schools opening over the following decade.
- Conservative initiated a new phase of battleship development to compete with the Germans.
-> HMS Dreadnaught was launched in 1906, and many more improved vessels were to follow. - Imperial college was opened in London, concentrating on scientific and technological courses.
- Social reforms followed including free school meals (1906), school medical inspections (1907), old age
pensions (1908) and National Insurance in (1911).
3
Q
What was the impact of the concern of national efficiency
A
- focus on conditions at home and the closer European rivals meant that some public attention and
newspaper interest moved away from Empire for a while but this did not mean the people were now opposed
to it.