Liberal Social Reforms- 1906-1911- How Effective? Flashcards
Children- how helped before liberal reforms
No real systems- some charities helped poor families with children- barnardoes
Orphans looked after in workhouses- oliver twist
Free school meals act
1906-
Allowed local authorities to provide free school meals
Meant children would eat atleast one decent meal per day
1914- 14 mill meals had been served- most served
Better teachers pay- based on performance in 3rs
Free school meals- not good measure
Not compulsory- only half. Did
Holidays no free school meals
May be basic meals
Taking away the parents role
School medical inspections- 1907
Every local education authority had to set up a school medical service
School medical inspections- failures
Only regular medical checks
General advice- spend time outside
School clinics
1912
Extended to provide treatment ihn schoool clinics
School clinics failures
Left to local authoritues to make it work- medical care varied widely across the country
Limited advice- go on walk
Childrens and young persons act
1908
Children givenm special status as protected persons
Parents could be prosecuted for neglect
Made illegal to insure a childs life- as before parents would kill children for pay outs from insurance company
Set up special courts to deal with child crime and special homes/borstals- house youth offenders so not sent to adult prisons
Children and young persons act- failures
Had little to do with causes of jeuvanile criminal activity- poverty
Neglect as a crime was subjective
Analysis childrens act
Stepping stone
Not universal- not everyone were entitled
Not tackling sources of poverty
Who helped old people before the liberal reforms
Charties, family and the workhouse
Old age pensions act
1908
Person over 70 with no other income would recieve state pension- 5t shillings
Non contributory- dont need to pay in before
Directly funded from gov not from rates
650,000 collected pensions
Reduced the workhouse usage and the reliance on charities and family
How was old age pensions act well recieved
Called lloyd george ‘lord george’ as he was chancellor at time
Why was old age pensions act not a good measure
V expensive
Inadequate level of money given- as many had not saved during working livbes
Had to live 20y in britian- didnt apply to everyone
Many didnt have birth certificate to claim and show how old they were
Could be excluded if not worked hard enough
Working people- how helped before liberal reforms
Charities
Family
Worjouse
Some outdoor relief
Labour exchanges
1909
Gov set up labour exchanges
Workers could sign up to register when unemployed tyo find availablel work
1913- labour exchanges were putting 3,000 people int owork every day
Labour exchanges act failure
Not compulsory for employers to register vacancies
National insurance act part 1
1911- health
Provided compulsory helath insurance for workers earning under 160 pounds/year
If ill- employers payed for 13 weeks- llimited time
Employee, employer ans state contributed money to the scheme
National insurance act part 1- failures
After 25 weeks absence form work, benefits were stopped
No provision was made for workers families- for breadwinner only
Many objected to compulsory payments they had to make- mafde them worse off
Only certain trades
Often not enough money
national insurance act part 2
1911- unemploymenyt
Insured worker losing their job- would recieve 7 shillings/week for 15 weeks
Recieved from wmployee, employer and state
Trades involved shipbuilding and mechanical engineers for example
National insurance failure
Cover workers only for limited time depended on contributions
No provision for wokrers family
Only certain trades applicable- eg. Domestic servants- mainly women- not the case- covered 2 mill workers
Universality- strength
Trade exchanges
No descrimination
Universality- failures
Free school meals permissive
Pensions- needed birth cirtificate, over 20y in uk, 70y old ,work hard enough
National insurance act didnt include other dependants and only certain trades
Adequacy- success
Old age pensions meant less outdoor relief
National insurance gave sick pay
Adequacy failure
National insurance certain workers
Pensions burden those beneath poverty line
Generalised treatment school clinics
Quality and quantity varied school meals not provided
Central control
National insurance and old age pensions state paid into
Burden of tax on rich
Central control failure
Children local authorityies0 many permissive
Modern comparisons- suces
Starting place less than after ww2
Central control similar welfare state today
Modern comparison failure
Post ww2 more universal- from the cradle to the grave
Responsivbility sucess
Lloyd george, churchill and asquith- new liberalism want to help people
Responsibillity failure
Taking stolen ideas- chamberlain old age poensions suggested
Political point scoring
People’s budget terms
Increase tax on rich- on those with an income over 5000 only affects about 10,000 people
Decrease income tax those with children
Increase estate duty and othe rdeath duties
Start land valuation- if sell land pay 20% profits made on land (selling price-bought price)
Increase tax on alcohol and tobacco- spirit tax increaed to 35%
Increase cost of pub licences
