New Liberalism Flashcards
1
Q
Why was Germany taken into considerations during the issue of social reforms?
A
- By end of 19th century GB no longer world’s strongest industrial nation -> serious competition from G- eg. prod. of coal 1880 GB 3x as much by 1906 G same- In G, a system of welfare benefits + old age pensions already been established 1880’s- G provision of economic security provided political stability in G - G able to support growing pop. -> increased workforceeg. 1871-1907 -> 9% increase in workforce -> Lib gov. understood that in order to compete with G same measures needed to be taken
2
Q
How did the Boer war cause concern in Britain?
A
- Manchester -> 8k/11k volunteers turned away- GB lost its military supremacy -> difficulty defeating small number of dutch farmers - mishaps of B war brought concerns for ‘national efficiency’ of GB against Eu neighbours esp. G + USA econ grown stronger which threatened GB security- public -> realisation that reforms must be accepted to increased national efficiency thus increasing GB’s economy
3
Q
Why were Booth and Rowntree’s investigations significant?
A
- highly unprecedented levels of poverty in diff parts of GB- 1889-1903 -> Booth 30% E. London below ‘pov line’ - Rowntree -> 78% of York some degree of poverty- proved poverty not laziness-> common belief- Lib. gov. self-help system not working-> social reform- idea of taxing ‘unproductive’ wealth to provide for poor became well- supported idea by Libs
4
Q
Why were social reforms seen as socialist?
A
-> remove the power of aristocracy- Increase state spending + taxes - Old Age Pensions Act 1908 -> Provided a pension of 5s a week of single persons and 7s and 6d for a married couple- National Insurance Act 1911 -> employers had to contribute for the insurance of employees -> undermined self-help which Cons. gov + aristocrats believed in Link: These Acts were funded by tax, such tax was to be increased greatly by the 1909 Budget
5
Q
Why was the 1909 Budget controversial?
A
- Raised income tax on over 3k pounds per annum to 1s2d from standard rate of 9d and bring in an additional tax of 6d in the pound on incomes over 5k per annum-> Hidden reforms in the finance bill- Budget included licensing + land valuation -> alrdy rejected -> H of L stand up to underhand tactics- Cons belief that budget designed to side step their power b/c libs = maj in H of C -> Cons. maj H of L- power of Aristocracy already been reduced 1905-1909eg. Electoral reform 1884 = less influence on WC-> less say in local affairs
6
Q
How were Liberal reforms towards the young successful?
A
- Many children were at risk from poverty as their parents were too poor to provide for them adequately.
- In 1906 an Education Act was passed which provided children with free school meals.
- The Act was shown to be successful as by 1914 158,000 children a year were receiving free meals.
- This helped improve the health and fitness of children and helped to prevent malnutrition.
- In 1907 another Education Act was passed.
- This Act made medical inspections in schools free and compulsory.
- This was successful in identifying common childhood health problems, and by 1912 school clinics were being set up to provide free but limited treatment.
- in 1908 the “Children’s Charter” was passed.
- This made children “protected persons” and gave them a separate legal status from adults. It also banned children from buying alcohol or cigarettes.
7
Q
How were Liberal reforms towards the young unsuccessful?
A
- Over half the local authorities had not set up the scheme by 1912 and during school holidays children’s weight dropped as they were not receiving school meals.
- 1907 Education Act -> Most of the inspections were very basic and overlooked many problems.
- better at identifying health problems rather than treating them, and many parents were unable to afford to pay for specialist medical care.
- Children’s charter did not eliminate the problem of child abuse nor did it prevent children from getting hold of alcohol and tobacco.
- took some important steps towards improving the health and wellbeing of children, yet many children continued to be at risk from poverty.
8
Q
How were Liberal reforms towards the Unemployed successful?
A
- People who were unable to find work were at risk from poverty and were unable to support their families.
- In 1908 the Labour Exchanges Act was passed.
- > This set up labour exchanges, which advertised vacancies and were similar to the Job Centres of today.
- They were shown to be a success as in 1912 they helped over 560,000 workers find work.
- In 1911 the National Insurance Act (Part 1) provided sickness benefits funded by contributions from the employee, the employer and the government.
- It was successful to an extent as if a worker was off sick they received 10 shillings a week for up to 26 weeks.
- Meanwhile the 1911 National Insurance Act (Part 2) also tried to tackle the problem of poverty caused by unemployment.
- Insured workers were entitled to 7 shillings a week for up to 15 weeks.
9
Q
How were Liberal reforms towards the Unemployed unsuccessful?
A
- Labour Exchanges most of the jobs advertised only offered temporary employment, so the exchanges did little to tackle the problem of long term unemployment.
- it was inadequate as it only provided direct help for “breadwinners” and did nothing to deal with wider health issues among the British people.
- The National Insurance Act (Part 1) 1911 was a contributory scheme -> how could those in chronic poverty contribute?
- It provided free medical inspections and basic treatment for the worker.
- However, as highlighted by Lloyd George, it did not provide medical care for the worker’s family, and it did not provide specialist services such as dental care and hospital treatment.
- It did not attempt to establish a national system of healthcare to meet the needs of the wider population.
- Employers were not required to inform the centres of vacancies
- > 2nd National Insurance act -> only 7 trades which suffered from seasonal unemployment were covered, including shipbuilding, construction and engineering.
- Therefore the reforms passed to tackle the problem of poverty due to unemployment did help many workers who found themselves temporarily unemployed, but did not eliminate the problem of poverty as the Acts failed to prevent long term unemployment.
10
Q
How were Liberal reforms towards the elderly successful?
A
- Many elderly people were at risk of poverty as they were too old and frail to work and earn an income.
- In 1908 the Pensions Act was passed.
- This provided a state pension to the poorest old people over 70 if they met certain qualifications.
- If individuals met these qualifications they received up to 5 shillings a year from the government.
- This was welcomed by many old people, and by 1914 970,000 people a year were claiming a pension.
11
Q
How were Liberal reforms towards the elderly unsuccessful?
A
Studies by Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree had shown that the poverty line was 7 shillings a week, so it is clear that pensions were only meant to supplement previous savings.
- The problem was that many poor elderly people did not have previous savings so were still living in poverty.
- The Act also cost the government a lot of money, which meant a rise in taxes which was unpopular with the majority of the population.
- Overall the Pensions Act did improve the lives of some of the poorest elderly people, however it can be argued that the pension was not enough to live on by itself and therefore did not eliminate the problem of poverty in the elderly.
12
Q
How did political power cause Liberals to introduce social reform?
A
- There was an element of compassion: some Liberals felt that it was simply not right for a third of the population to be living in such misery.
- However, if this had been the only consideration it is doubtful if much would have been done. In fact the government had no bills prepared and no programme of social reform drawn up.
- Probably more significant was the need for a healthy working class for military and economic purposes.
- If Britain was to be involved in a major war, an efficient army would be needed to defend the Empire.
- The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce called for a health insurance and old age pensions on the grounds that a healthy work force would be more efficient and more profitable.
- Some reform therefore was necessary for national survival.
- The Liberals were under pressure from the Labour Party and from the trade unions, and there was the added incentive that a limited amount of social reform would attract voters away from socialism and the new Labour Party.
- There was the need to show that Liberals had policies which clearly distinguished them from the Conservatives, so the working class would not drift towards them.
- Each reform was a response to a particular problem or situation.
- There was no master plan to set up a ‘welfare state’.
- The reasons behind reforms are significant because if the Liberal party weren’t aiming to improve the lives of the poor, then they would inevitably be unsuccessful.
13
Q
How did social reforms go against traditional Liberal principles?
A
- Traditional Liberal philosophy had preached the absolute primacy of the individual, and their freedom from the control of external sources, including, often especially so, the state.
- Under this school of thought, the only duty of the state was to maintain law and order, and protect its citizens from external threats.
- However, the dominance of this view in the Liberal party had been challenged by the emergence of New Liberalism in the nineteenth century.
- These ‘New’ Liberals argued against the idea of ‘self-help’ being the only method of improving one’s situation, and in favour of increased state intervention in the lives of the citizens, indeed to “wage implacable warfare against poverty and squalidness”, in order to lift the worst off out of abject poverty.
- At first the Liberal government elected in 1906 was dominated by Old Liberalism, with traditionalists occupying the key ministries, but when Herbert Asquith was appointed Prime Minister in 1908 he filled his cabinet with more progressive Liberals, including David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill.
- This new group of Liberals was determined to take concerted action to tackle poverty, and the reforms therefore, may be seen as the obvious result of their new style of more ‘interventionist’ Liberalism coming to the fore.
14
Q
How did the 1909 Budget prove that Liberal social reforms were not merely for political progress?
A
- Constitutional crisis greatly weakened the party
- The Liberal government nearly lost the 1910 General election
- It was this very act of retaliation towards the House of Lords with the 1909 Budget and Parliament act that caused the Liberal government to lose their majority as they had to continuously hold general elections and use their funding to campaign for these elections.
- Although they won the election of 1906 over the conservative party by 241 seats, it was evident that by 1910, many people no longer supported the Liberal party as they no longer had the overall majority, winning only because of their pact with the ILP + INP.
- INP held the balance of power
- Therefore, from 1911, Home Rule was on the top of the political agenda.
- The new leader of the INP, John Redmond based his support for the Liberals purely on the basis of Home Rule and made it clear that if the issue was not addressed the INP would disrupt the government.
- It is important to understand that Home Rule was a very controversial bill.
- the Liberal party had already split once in 1886 on the issue of Home Rule.
15
Q
How did the House of Lords reduce the strength of the Liberal government?
A
- > unfulfilled electoral promises House of Lords.
- Between 1906 and 1914, the House of Lords rejected 7 major bills from the House of Commons many of which would have given the working class the social reforms they needed in order to be appeased by the Liberal government.
- It was not only the working class which diverted from the Liberal party.
- When the Education act of 1907 was rejected by the House of Lords, the Liberal party lost non-conformist support, again this was due to the fact that they were unable to fulfil electoral promises.
- Although they won the election of 1906 over the conservative party by 241 seats, it was evident that by 1910, many people no longer supported the Liberal party as they no longer had the overall majority, winning only because of their pact with the ILP.
- The House of Lords rendered the Liberal party useless.
- Even after the Liberal retaliation with the Parliament act of 1911, the House of Lords were still able to suspend any bill or act for 2 years which was enough time for the Liberal party to be voted out of government.
