Life During the Depression Flashcards
What was the resounding reputation of the 1930s in subsequent decades?
One that was overwhelmingly negative: the ’30s were termed “the black years,”“the devil’s decade,” and “the hungry thirties.”
What is the term for the assessment through which the government evaluated the right of individual families to the dole?
The Means Test.
Which form of benefit does the dole represent?
Uncovenanted benefit, onto which families were forced following six months on unemployment benefit.
Which organisation carried out the means test?
The local PAC (Public Assistance Committee), all of which were set up in 1930.
What was the cap for payments of the dole?
It varied from area to area, though the national average for a family of two adults and three children was fixed at a weekly £1.46, though this was raised to £1.80 in 1936.
When was the means test introduced?
1931.
What was the average wage in 1936?
£3.00.
Which 1920 government act established a social safety net, providing payments to unemployed workers?
The Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920,
How many weeks of payments did the Unemployment Insurance Act provide?
39.
By how much did economists suggest cutting the dole by in 1930?
10%.
What reasons could the dole be reduced for?
The existence of other sources of income, such as part time jobs and pensions, or even property, such as jewelry or furniture, which must be sold in order to receive the benefit at all.
What did the means test involve?
An investigator searching a property, often in a humiliating manner.
Was the means test regularly enforced?
No: whereas some local authorities amplified assessments, others like County Durham disregarded them entirely.
How could the means test place a strain on family life?
Income sources, provided that they were within the same household, were treated equally, not regarding their recipient’s position in a family. This meant that money earned by children still living at home counted against a family.
What did hunger marches generally protest against?
The position of the working class, and in particular the existence of the means-test.
When did the hunger marches of The Depression begin?
In 1931.
How many towns had protest marches against the means test by the conclusion of 1931?
Over 30.
Name two hunger marches that ended in conflict with the police force.
The Rochdale and Belfast clashes of 1932, in which two protesters were killed.
Which movement of the unemployed attempted to place pressure on the government over its implementation of the Means Test?
The National Unemployed Workers’ Movement (NUWM).
Which march did the NUWM set up, with the aim of presenting a petition to Parliament in London, only to be barred by the police?
That of October 1932.
When did the first hunger march take place?
1905.
How successful were many hunger marches in the pre-war era?
Entirely unsuccessful: governments of each outlook all failed to meet with the protestors, although it should be said that they invariably drew public attention to the plight of their specific regions.
Which march is widely believed to be the most famous of the pre-war era?
The Jarrow March.
When did the Jarrow March take place?
1936.
By what name was the Jarrow March also known?
The “Jarrow Crusade.”
What was the rate of unemployment in Jarrow in 1934?
80%
What was the name of the shipyard in Jarrow?
Palmers
What company was created to scrap smaller shipyards?
The National Shipyards’ Securities
What Union objected to the Jarrow March because it didn’t go far enough, and why?
The National Unemployed Workers’ Movement (NUWM), because the march was non-political.
Which MP accompanied the Jarrow March?
Local MP Ellen Wilkinson
How did Jarrow Marchers present themselves?
In their best clothes, to give a good impression.
How far did the Jarrow marchers travel, and in how many stages?
300 miles, in 22 stages
How did Stanley Baldwin react to the Jarrow Marchers’ petition?
He ignored it.
