Impact of the Boer War

Question 1

What was the issue of national efficiency

Answer 1

• 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.

Question 2

What measures were taken to deal with national efficiency

Answer 2

• 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).

Question 3

What was the impact of the concern of national efficiency

Answer 3

• 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.