Liberal Reforms

Question 1

What support was there for the poor before the Liberal Party came to power?

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

Why did attitudes to the poor change?

Answer 2

1. Lots of people read Seebohm Rowntree’s book
2. Winston Churchill would soon be in a position to do something.
3. 1894- Boer War in South Africa. 2 out of 3 men declared unfit due to poverty.
4. 1900- Labour Party formed and threatened Liberals as promised a better life.

Question 3

Facts about the Liberal Reforms:

Answer 3

Came to power in general election in 1906.
Social Reforms programme.
Young Liberals challenge old views about poverty.
Targeted children, elderly and workers.

Question 4

Budget:

Answer 4

1909. 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.

Question 5

Parliament act:

Answer 5

1911. 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.

Question 6

Effectiveness of the reforms:

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

Laissez-faire:

Answer 7

Let it be - state had no right/duty to interfere in business or people’s private lives.

Question 8

Self-help:

Answer 8

Suggested that everyone could be successful if tried hard enough.

Question 9

Deserving poor:

Answer 9

Poor because of no fault of their own so deserve help.

Question 10

Undeserving poor:

Answer 10

Blame for own poverty because of laziness, vice or incompetence

Question 11

Workhouses:

Answer 11

Should be harsh so lazy people don’t want to go there.

Question 12

Welfare state:

Answer 12

State protects the social and economic well being of its citizens.

Question 13

Salvation Army:

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Charles Booth.

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

Seebohm Rowntree

Answer 15

Interested in Booth’s work
Investigated in York.
Calculated a family could live on 21s 8d a week
28% below this.

Question 16

Why did the Liberals introduce their reforms?

Answer 16

Rise of socialism. 
Attitudes towards poverty changed. 
Political rivalry. 
Industrial decline.
Winston Churchill. 
David Lloyd George. 
The social reformers.

Question 17

Free school meal (1906)

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

School Medical inspections (1907)

Answer 18

Left up to local authorities so care varied widely across the country.
Didn’t subsidise treatment and parents couldn’t afford treatment.

Question 19

Children’s act (1908)

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

School clinics (1912)

Answer 20

Free.
Care varied widely.
Rest of family wouldn’t receive treatment.

Question 21

Old Age Pensions (1908)

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

Workmens compensation act (1906)

Answer 22

Full time workers given compensation if injured at work
Not part time workers.
Not lower earners.

Question 23

Labour exchanges act (1909)

Answer 23

Go to place to look for all jobs on offer.
Didn’t create jobs or help solve unemployment.
More efficient for unemployed and employers.

Question 24

National insurance act (1911) sickness

Answer 24

Paid 4d for insurance stamps.
Government contributed 2d and employer 3d for each worker.
Sick pay of 10s a week for 13 weeks.

Question 25

National insurance act (1913) unemployment.

Answer 25

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??

Question 26

How liberals defend reforms

Answer 26

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.

Question 27

During the Victorian era, what did most people believe was the cause of poverty?

Answer 27

The poor were responsible for their own poverty