Liberal Reforms Motives essay Flashcards
Liberal Reforms motives topics
National security, new liberalism, political advantage, municipal socialism, surveys of Booth and Rowntree
Liberal Reforms motives intro
Country operated on Laissez faire, recession in late 19th century meant more poverty than poor law and charities could cope with
Surveys of Booth and Rowntree K
30% of population in poverty, only 3% helped by current poor laws
Surveys of Booth and Rowntree A
Used hard data and could not be denied
Surveys of Booth and Rowntree A+
Reports published by 1903, Liberals in power by 1906, most major reforms in 1909, time gap suggests they were not significant
Surveys of Booth and Rowntree E
Influenced many liberals into supporting reform Winston Churchill described his ‘hair stand on end’ when he read them
National security K
450,000 British soldiers struggled against 35,000 Boer farmers in Boer wars, 1 in 3 recruits physically unfit for service and more in urban areas
National security A
Poverty leading to physical decline therefore weakening army
National security A+
Claiming concerns over security due to poverty is an exaggeration - German unification in 1871
National security E
Politicians could pass of poverty as due to character deficiencies but introduction of primary and secondary poverty in reports proved otherwise
New Liberalism K
Only when New Liberals such as Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George came to power in 1908 were most reforms passed, they were genuinely concerned for the poor - Churchill represented Dundee and George was working class
New Liberalism A
Few reforms were done when old liberals were in power
New Liberalism A+
Some only concerned about rise of Labour Party and did not genuinely care
New Liberalism E
Some reforms passed before 1908 - free school meals in 1906
Political advantage K
Around 60% of adult men could vote and most were poor or working class, no mention of reforms in 1905 Liberal manifesto
Political advantage A
Liberals could win votes by implementing reforms
Political advantage A+
Liberals clearly not concerned by Labour enough to advocate reforms
Political advantage E
Labour only had 29 seats in 1906 so did not pose a major threat to the Liberals whilst the reports proved that the government could tackle poverty therefore putting pressure on it
Municipal socialism K
Higher taxes paid for better services with Glasgow expanding the water network, providing gas street lights and opening new parks and libraries, in 1873 the mayor of Birmingham (Joseph Chamberlain) brought the water network and improved it as it previously only worked for three days a week and was polluted
Municipal socialism A
Local successes could be scaled up to a national level
Municipal socialism A+
Success of local model could not convince everyone that scaling it up was a good idea
Municipal socialism E
Municipal socialism widespread for decades before reforms took place - 31 localities owned their tram network by 1890
