modern britain

Question 1

causes of poverty

Answer 1

unemployment
large family’s
old age
illness
death of breadwinner
disabilities
no national welfare system

Question 2

belief in self help

Answer 2

• System of’ laissezfaire’ - the state should not interfere in the lives of the people or in the economy.

• State to play very small role to provide limited education, health, help for the poor, control of workplace.

• Involvement would cost money, hence a rise in taxes - middle and upper class citizens would be paying to look after others which they didn’t want to do

• The poor were seen by the wealthy as an unfortunate but inevitable part of society

• The belief existed that poverty was caused by laziness, drunkenness and lack of morals

Question 3

surveys of booth and rowntree

Answer 3

• Up to 30 per cent of the population of the cities were living on or below the Poverty Line.

• People could not pull themselves out of poverty by themselves.

• Booth and Rowntree both identified the main causes of poverty as being illness, unemployment and age. Both the very young and the old were most at risk of poverty.

Question 4

reasons for changing attitudes towards poverty

Answer 4

national efficiency
influence of Germany
new liberals
the labour party
greater understanding

Question 5

what are the 5 giants

Answer 5

ignorance - cause by lack of education

want - caused by poverty

disease - caused by inadequate health care provision

squalor - caused by poor housing

idleness - caused by a lack of jobs, or the ability to gain employment

Question 6

the labour government introduced a number of reforms in order to tackle the 5 giants, what are they?

Answer 6

want :
national insurance act
industrial injuries act
national assistance act

disease :
national health service act

ignorance :
education act

squalor :
new towns act
housing act

idleness:
nationalisation and employment