Liberal Reforms Flashcards
What support was there for the poor before the Liberal Party came to power?
Under the Poor Law of 1834: Workhouses: but they were grim and gruelling.
Outdoor relief: cash to people in their own homes but labelled Pauper which was a shame and disgrace.
There were also private charities who provided clothes, money or food and sometimes provided accommodation.
Why did attitudes to the poor change?
- Lots of people read Seebohm Rowntree’s book
- Winston Churchill would soon be in a position to do something.
- 1894- Boer War in South Africa. 2 out of 3 men declared unfit due to poverty.
- 1900- Labour Party formed and threatened Liberals as promised a better life.
Facts about the Liberal Reforms:
Came to power in general election in 1906.
Social Reforms programme.
Young Liberals challenge old views about poverty.
Targeted children, elderly and workers.
Budget:
- To pay for the reforms they increased taxes on tobacco and spirits.
Raised income tax by 16%
Introduced 20% tax on profits from selling land.
At first the House of Lords opposed the budget.
Parliament act:
- House of Commons passed a law stating that the House of Lords couldn’t reject a bill that had been passed three times in the House of Commons.
General election every 5 not 7 years.
Effectiveness of the reforms:
45 million people took up the reforms in Britain.
1/2 million elderly qualified for pensions - strict rules.
National insurance against sickness covered 10 million men and 4 million women. Against unemployment covered 2.25 million workers.
Responsability for carrying out reforms fell on local councils.
Laissez-faire:
Let it be - state had no right/duty to interfere in business or people’s private lives.
Self-help:
Suggested that everyone could be successful if tried hard enough.
Deserving poor:
Poor because of no fault of their own so deserve help.
Undeserving poor:
Blame for own poverty because of laziness, vice or incompetence
Workhouses:
Should be harsh so lazy people don’t want to go there.
Welfare state:
State protects the social and economic well being of its citizens.
Salvation Army:
Christian groups ran missions where they preached the word of god. William and Catherine Booth. Attention grabbing techniques. Organised like an army. 1900- running own training centres. Educated about causes of poverty.
Charles Booth.
Over 17 years investigated the living conditions, income and spending of over 4000 people.
31% Londoners were living below the poverty line.
85% were deserving poor.
Seebohm Rowntree
Interested in Booth’s work
Investigated in York.
Calculated a family could live on 21s 8d a week
28% below this.
Why did the Liberals introduce their reforms?
Rise of socialism. Attitudes towards poverty changed. Political rivalry. Industrial decline. Winston Churchill. David Lloyd George. The social reformers.
Free school meal (1906)
Allow but not force local authorities to provide free school meals.
Paid out of taxes.
1914- 158000 children free meal every day.
Only half Britain’s local authorities set up meals service.
School Medical inspections (1907)
Left up to local authorities so care varied widely across the country.
Didn’t subsidise treatment and parents couldn’t afford treatment.
Children’s act (1908)
Previously insurance companies paid money to parents at loss of child, even in suspicious circumstances.
Made children protected persons.
Young offenders prisons.
Children’s homes inspected.
Shopkeepers couldn’t sell cigarettes to U16s.
School clinics (1912)
Free.
Care varied widely.
Rest of family wouldn’t receive treatment.
Old Age Pensions (1908)
Over 70 no income single receives 5s a week.
Only under £31 per year people.
Only British Citizens living in UK for last 20 years.
Number collecting outdoor relief fell by 80000.
Only 0.5 million qualified.
Workmens compensation act (1906)
Full time workers given compensation if injured at work
Not part time workers.
Not lower earners.
Labour exchanges act (1909)
Go to place to look for all jobs on offer.
Didn’t create jobs or help solve unemployment.
More efficient for unemployed and employers.
National insurance act (1911) sickness
Paid 4d for insurance stamps.
Government contributed 2d and employer 3d for each worker.
Sick pay of 10s a week for 13 weeks.
National insurance act (1913) unemployment.
Contributory scheme.
Open for workers who had seasonal unemployment.
Workers, employers and government each paid 2d a week.
Paid 7s6d a week for up to 15 weeks a year.
Should be non contributory??
How liberals defend reforms
Provision of poor was “grossly inadequate”.
Rich largely inherited so justified for them to help the poor
State had neglected the problems of the poor for too long.
During the Victorian era, what did most people believe was the cause of poverty?
The poor were responsible for their own poverty
