Political issues (1900-1918) Flashcards
what kind of place was Britain in 1900 (5 summary points)
high death rates (the death of a chief wage earner, counts as 15.63% of poverty rate)
rent was too expensive (5 shillings out of a typical income of male who earns 24 shillings)
no welfare
high turnover of jobs (high unemployment)
disease (lack of healthcare available)
how many people could vote by 1890
5.7 million people
what act effected who could vote in 1900
parliamentary reform act 1867
who were the main dominant parties in 1900
conservative and liberal
give 3 values and beliefs of the conservative party
imperalism (anti-home rule)
traditional family values
institution of the church
who was prime minister and what party was in during 1900
Lord Salisbury
conservative
who overtook Lord Salisbury in 1902
Arthur Balfour
give 2 groups that were part of the liberal party in 1900
non-conformists
chartists
why was it a problem that the liberals had a diverse range of groups within the party
divided
too many opinions
why did Balfour become prime minister in 1902
Lord Salisbury stepped down as he was against the party’s reform
the only other option was Balfour and Joseph Chamberlain
Chamberlain was not acceptable to many conservatives
Balfour became PM
was Joseph Chamberlain for tariff reform or free trade
tariff reform
in 1900 was Britain a free trade or tariff economy
free trade
was Balfour for tariff reform or free trade
free trade
give 3 reasons for tariff reform
money raised could fund social reforms
help modernise Britain
to be able to as successful like countries like USA and Germany who had tariff reform
give 3 reasons against tariff reform
it would increase food prices (no working class support)
it would unite liberal opposition
it risked dividing the conservatives
when did Chamberlain launch his tariff reform programme and where was it the most influential
Birmingham after his South Africa tour
May 1903
why was America’s economy successful in 1900
‘high wage economy’
more self sufficient
what was Balfour’s response to the tariff reform debate
he began ‘fence-sitting’
who led the Tariff reform league and when was it set up
Chamberlain
1903
what league was set up as support for the free traders and when was it set up
Unionist Free Food League
1903
what conservative (as an example) left to the liberal party over the division over tariff reform
Churchill
why did Balfour resign without calling a general election
he wanted the public to see how divided the liberals were over a complication of home rule, but the plan failed as the liberals were not divided at all and the public would not vote Balfour back in
give 2 examples of social reforms that Balfour implemented between 1902-1905
Taff Vale judgement 1901
Education act 1902
give a summary of the taff vale judgement 1901
trade unions had to pay £23,000 in damages
affected the strikers to picket (went against legislation in 1871 which made it legal)
give a summary of the education act 1902
abolished school boards in England and Wales
reorganised the school system
give 2 ways that Balfour’s government was unsuccessful
tariff reform controversy
Chinese slavery scandal
give 3 ways that Balfour’s government was successful
social reform acts
navy reformed after Boer War
moved Britain away from diplomatic isolation
give evidence that the liberals won a landslide victory in 1906
unionists- 157 seats
liberals- 400 seats
give 6 reasons to why the liberals won a landslide victory in the 1906 general election
conservatives failure to pass legislation for the right to strike (Taff vale judgement 1901, reduced working class votes)
lib lab pact
new liberalism appeared at the time of poor national health
Asquith was famous for his speeches
tariff reform division
poor oppositional leader (Balfour)
when was the lib lab pact formed for the first time
1906
give 6 reasons to why labour rose in influence since the middle of the 19th century
Reform Act of 1867- working men could vote
ILP became prevelent in parliament
labour represented morals which resembled with the wokring class and were prominant at the time
lib lab pact
1906 election- 30 MP’s elected
trade union supporting
give 3 main political ideas of Keir Hardie and how they resembled the morals of the labour party
trade union supporter
women’s right to vote
wellbeing of the working class
when did Keir Hardie found the ILP
1893
when did the TUC have 2 million followers and what changed in their ideologies
1889
included representation of unskilled workers too
became more radical and sociaist
give 3 key ideas of the ILP
radical liberalism
trade unionism
non-conformity (christian values)
why could the lib lab be classed as a negative for both the labour and liberal party
clashing opinions
less credit to the labour party
give 2 examples of acts that were proposed by labour MP’s but liberals claimed it under themselves due to the lib lab pact
Trade Disputes Act 1906
Education (provision of meals) act 1906
give 3 factors that led to the decline of the liberal party in parliament during the years 1906-1914
Osbourne Judgement
decline of seats in election (January 1910- 45 MP’s
1914- 36 MP’s)
lack of commitment to socialism
what were the consequences of the Osborne judgement on labour
made political contributions illegal
labour used subscriptions paid by members to pay for MP’s
had to wait until 1913 for the act to get reversed
summary of how effective the labour party in parliament in early 20th century
effective- quick to pass trade dispute act
- 78 candidates in January 1915
not effective- Osborne Judgement
- liberals had more say than labour
give a summary of the Trade dispute 1906
reversed the Taff Vale act
trade unions involved in strike action would be protected by law from being sued for damages
Campbell-Bannerman accepted the act as his own as it agreed with his and the party’s views
between 1910 and the outbreak of WW1, how much did all trade unionist membership grow
2.5 million to 4 million
by 1914 how many women made up trade unions
10%
give 3 factors that increased militancy between 1910-1914
‘real wages’ were gradually falling owing to increases in the cost of living
less unemployment meaning workers were more willing to confront employers
prices rose particularly steeply in 1911-12
give 2 example of strikes in 1910-1913
September 1910- August 1911- Tonypandy miners in South Wales
June 1911- Seaman’s union went on strike and the dockers and railwaymen came out on strike in sympathy (2 strikers were shot dead by troops in Liverpool)
what did the Disraeli doctrine claim the lords could only use its veto or power to amend bills in (circumstances)
when the commons were very divided
public opinions was clearly against the proposal
the act would result in such a fundamental change
why would the Disraeli doctrine be a disadvantage to the conservatives
many conservatives/ supporters were in the house of lords and therefore couldn’t have that much power
how did Campbell-Bannerman (liberal leader) respond to the problem of the house of lords
he wanted to curb some powers of the lords
give a summary of the Budget of 1909
increase in taxation in order to pay for an increase in defence expenditure and spending on social welfare
who would object the budget of 1909 act
upper class (they had high incomes which would be taxed)
describe the events that occurred in the first constituional crisis
April 1909- People’s budget introduced
November 1909- house of lords rejected the budget (controversial and called for a general election)
January 1910- liberals had to rely on Irish nationals for support to win (liberals- 175 conservatives- 173)
house of lords passed
what act was the second constitutional crisis surrouding
Parliament Bill
what was the aim of the Parliament Act 1910
to reduce the power of the house of lords so they would stop vetoing bills from the elected house of commons
describe the events of the second constitutional crisis
1910- Parliament Bill created
May 1910- Asquith persuaded the King to introduce more liberal peers into the house of lords to pass the bill, it was agreed as long as another general election could be held
December 1910- general election held (liberals- 272 conservative 272)
May 1911- commons passed the parliament bill
who was the leader of the liberal party in 1910
Asquith
what did the Parliament Act 1911 say
house of lords could not interfere with money bills
house of lords could not veto any bulls for up to 2 years
5 years between general elections
how was Balfour affected by the constitutional crisis
failed campaign that he didn’t want in the first place
criticism of his leadership
led to him stepping down
by 1900, how many women could vote and how
1 million
1870- elected in school boards
1889- vote in county council elections
when was the NSWS formed (women’s suffrage)
1868
NSWS
what were their priorities?
why did they disband?
for women to vote nationally
some left to join the liberal party and some wanted independant
NUWSS
who were the key figures?
what were their priorities?
why did they disband?
Milicient Fawcett (president until 1919)
some wanted full emancipation of women and others wanted both male and female emancipation but used peaceful actions
formation of WSPU
WSPU
who were the key figures?
what were their priorities?
what support did they have?
Emmeline Pankhurst
full emancipation of women using violent actions
ILP were split over women’s suffrage (Keir Hardie full support and others against it as they believed in the basic right of voting such as Phillip Snowden)
why were politicians willing to give women the vote for local government but not for national parliament? (give 3 reasons)
misogny
social and domestic suited women not men
support from women
by 1900 how many branches did the NUWSS have
400 branches
give 3 reasons why parliament failed to pass a women’s suffrage
only 60% men could vote by 1900 so no chance for women to vote
Irish held more importance (home rule)
lack of parliamentary time
why were some liberals worried about extending the vote to some women?
don’t know how the demographic of women would vote (could be in favour of the conservatives due to Property Qualification act)
what was the conciliation bill 1910
women could vote if they were either a householder or an occupational franchise (only 8% of women)
give 2 ways the conciliation bill 1910 was a failure
Asquith was angered by militancy
Lloyd George and Pankhurst saw it as giving conservative women the vote not a national women’s vote
give 2 acts of militancy performed by the WSPU
attacks on property
destruction of mail
what was the Franchise Bill 1912 about
full suffrage for males
what was the constitutional bill 1912 about
franchise of all women
when was the constitutional bill 1912 introduced
19th Feb 1912
why was the constitutional bill 1912 defeated (reasons)
Irish parliamentary believed women’s vote was to prevent Irish home rule
what was the ‘Cat and Mouse’ Act 1913 about
temporary discharge of ill prisoners due to the hunger strike to avoid death, once well the sentence would be repeated
why was the ‘Cat and Mouse’ Act 1913 heavily criticsed
Asquith/liberals in power
‘illberal’ belief
when was the first hunger strike that took place
5th July 1909
what was the voting outcome on the conciliation bill 1910
320 for
175 against
how was the liberal party effective in women’s suffrage between 1906-1914
1907 Qualification act (vote in local boards)
give 3 ways Ireland and Britain had tension in the course of the 19th century
both very religiously different
1845-1851 potato famine (1 million died of starvation and 2 million emigrated)
different groups within Ireland opposed home rule (e.g. Irish Republican Brotherhood, Irish national party)
why was the constitutional crisis such a turning point for the issue of home rule
less influence of the house of lords (predominantly conservative) vetoing home rule
less chance of it getting rejected
what were the years where the potato famine took place
1845- 1851
what party in Ireland had seats in parliament and who was it led by
Irish National party
Redmond
when was Sinn Fein (Irish National Party) established and by who
1905
Arthur Griffins
why did the December 1910 election benefit the issue of home rule
liberals - 272 conservative- 272
liberals had to rely on the Irish nationals in order to win the majority so there was less chance of rejection
who was the leader of the labour movement in Ireland and what was his values
James Connolly
trade unionist
wanted to Industralise Ireland (restrictions by Britain)
wanted Ireland to be a socialist workers’ republic
what was Sinn Fein’s Arthur Griffins views
establish seperate parliament in Ireland
peacefully
he wanted capitalism to continue
was the Irish Republican Brotherhood peaceful or violent
violent
what was the third home rule (1912) and what provisions did it make
creation of an Irish parliament
‘day to day’ affairs they were in control of
42 Irish MP’s
give 3 reasons why the conservatives opposed home rule
increased power in parliament for Irish (threatened power)
Ulster was Industralised compared to the rest of Ireland so they wanted to maintained wealth
were imperalistic
why did Redmond and nationalists barely accept the 3rd home rule
saw it as some change but Ireland was not fully independant
was Carson a unionist or Irish nationalist
unionist
give a summary of Carson
1912- set up covenant (protestants against home rule)
1913- formed the Ulster Volenteer force
1914- smuggled 3 million rounds of ammunition into the Irish port of Larne
what happened at the incident of Curragh Mutiny
British soldiers resigned at the Curragh army base rather than fight the Ulster Unionists
Irish nationals began to smuggle ammunition
caused fear of Civil War
when did the incident of Curragh Mutiny occur
March 1914
what did John Redmond want and what was he leader of
Irish Home Rule
Irish Nationalist party
