Liberal Party ( decline before ww1) Flashcards
How did the Parlimetn Act of 1911 weaken the Liberal Party?
- once the threat form the Lords ahd gone was there a point to the Liberals
- Liberals only wanted moderate reform- whats tro stop the appeal of a left-wing party
- Lords could still delay reform for 2 years- could detract votes
South Wales Strike Nov 1910-Oct 1911?
Miners refused pay offer form concialiation board (needed for transort/heat)
800 miners locked out>Chruchill didn’t want to send in troops>garrissoend troops in cardiff>small battle>miners forced back on owner’s terms
August 1911 railway strike?
refused pay from cociallaitoon board
Lloyd Geoge intervened-settled it in union’s favour
Feb 1912 triple alliance?
miners federation encouraged by railway sucess
caleld for a minium wage (governemnt soltuion wasn’t high enough)>dockers went on strike>failed as they weren’tr as united
To become more powerful- joined togehter (triple allaince)>Tu memebrship was really high
Why did they go on strike?
- Labour weren’t doing enough to represnt the workign class
- Labour wasn’t sure how far it wanted to go to suport them
- syndacilsim- belief in workers cotnroling the state
- Collective bargainign didn#t work- 17% of industrial wrkes were affilaited to a union so didn’t see authority with conciliation boards
- Trade Dsioute Act (1906)- now didn’t ahve to pay for damage arising out of strikes
Why was it unlikely to reuslt in anarchy though?
1/3 workign class voted conservaitve- didn’t want violence
still wanted Liberal reforms
1910- four Labour by-election losses- becuase they were affilaited with militancy- detracte dpeopel from voting for them
What Liberal reforms were dleayed by the Lords?
Weksh church diestabloshemnt- take away anglcian church- Lords delayed this - woudl ahve cost them non-conformist suporters
Stopping of plural voting/Irish Home Rule
Lloyd GEorge’s land campaign?
workign class hated wealth of akndowners
perosnal campaign by Lloyd George- wasn’t ready by 1914 (war)
land valuation survey- tax the loandowners
build cottages
fix cheaper rents for tenant farmers
establish a minium wage for agricultral workers
(liek with 1909- sweated trades/1912- miners)
Why did Liberals argue still important even thugh it woudl mainly benefit coutnryside?
poor farmers>move to towns>compete for jobs>increase unemplyment
What was Lloyd GEorge trying to do (1909 budget) and what was thr main problem?
build on the budget land valuation surveys- increase taxes increasee tax on superinttendent tax Problem: Couldn't tax land until land valuation survey finsished>nto until 1915
what were th eproblems of Liberals in trying to compete for Labour?
New Liberalsim- onyl few it appeale to (LG and Churchill)- most liberals were traditonal businessmen
Local liberalo parties- 40% Liberal MPs were businessmen- middle class
Progressive alliance- liberals, labour, irish nationilists- not really used for local elelctions- did Labour need them with increased TU membership?
Soem ways in whcih Liberals still seemed stronger than Labour?
Labour only had 42 Mps at outbreak of war
infleucne i parliment (reofmrs)- extrememyl limtied
4 by-election losses- 1910-14 (militant TU)
45 Mps before Jan 1910 election- lost 5 seats
Onyl half TU members bothered to vote to estabosh a polciticla levy
macDonald- suggested only fighting Liberla sin limited areas
Some ways in which Labour seemd to be overtaking Liberals?
Liberals did lose seats to Conservatives due to Labour standing (suggests they did need Lib-Lab Pact)
Labour were overtakign in aprts of England at local level net gain fo seats form 1910-14)
TU memnership (majority voted for polciticla levy)- MFGB -additonal 12 MPs>45 MPs
Pact onyl worked when Labour was weak?
