Liberal Reforms Motives essay

Question 1

Liberal Reforms motives topics

Answer 1

National security, new liberalism, political advantage, municipal socialism, surveys of Booth and Rowntree

Question 2

Liberal Reforms motives intro

Answer 2

Country operated on Laissez faire, recession in late 19th century meant more poverty than poor law and charities could cope with

Question 3

Surveys of Booth and Rowntree K

Answer 3

30% of population in poverty, only 3% helped by current poor laws

Question 4

Surveys of Booth and Rowntree A

Answer 4

Used hard data and could not be denied

Question 5

Surveys of Booth and Rowntree A+

Answer 5

Reports published by 1903, Liberals in power by 1906, most major reforms in 1909, time gap suggests they were not significant

Question 6

Surveys of Booth and Rowntree E

Answer 6

Influenced many liberals into supporting reform Winston Churchill described his ‘hair stand on end’ when he read them

Question 7

National security K

Answer 7

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

Question 8

National security A

Answer 8

Poverty leading to physical decline therefore weakening army

Question 9

National security A+

Answer 9

Claiming concerns over security due to poverty is an exaggeration - German unification in 1871

Question 10

National security E

Answer 10

Politicians could pass of poverty as due to character deficiencies but introduction of primary and secondary poverty in reports proved otherwise

Question 11

New Liberalism K

Answer 11

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

Question 12

New Liberalism A

Answer 12

Few reforms were done when old liberals were in power

Question 13

New Liberalism A+

Answer 13

Some only concerned about rise of Labour Party and did not genuinely care

Question 14

New Liberalism E

Answer 14

Some reforms passed before 1908 - free school meals in 1906

Question 15

Political advantage K

Answer 15

Around 60% of adult men could vote and most were poor or working class, no mention of reforms in 1905 Liberal manifesto

Question 16

Political advantage A

Answer 16

Liberals could win votes by implementing reforms

Question 17

Political advantage A+

Answer 17

Liberals clearly not concerned by Labour enough to advocate reforms

Question 18

Political advantage E

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Municipal socialism K

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Municipal socialism A

Answer 20

Local successes could be scaled up to a national level

Question 21

Municipal socialism A+

Answer 21

Success of local model could not convince everyone that scaling it up was a good idea

Question 22

Municipal socialism E

Answer 22

Municipal socialism widespread for decades before reforms took place - 31 localities owned their tram network by 1890