Possible Questions 24 Flashcards
1
Q
‘The Labour Party had become a significant political force by 1914’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view
A
- The Lib-Lab Pact of 1903
- The LRC was relatively new and it needed additional political support to strengthen its chances of influencing decision making nationally
- The Lib-Lab Pact saved them money, as they didn’t have to pay to oppose them
- benefitted the emerging Labour movement.
- In order to further exploit this development the LRC formed the pact with the Liberals
- Liberal had agreed not to oppose them in 30 constituencies, which worked as they won 29 of these seats in the 1906 General ‘Khaki’ Election, which soon became 30.
- The Lib-Lab pact recognised that Labour was being a force to be reckoned with. - TU + WC
- the ILP itself strengthened greatly between 1906-1914. In 1906, the working class had already begun turning to the ILP for representation with 30 MP’s in the ILP of industrial background without a university degree.
- By 1908, the ILP had gained support from the miners federation of GB.
- This was a huge blow to the liberal party because this sense of opposition to the government great contributed to the many strikes which took place between 1910 and 1914.
- A prominent example of this being the ‘Ely Pit Coalfield’ riots where the situation became so out of hand that the mine owner had to ask for police assistance.
- Successful strikes which occurred in the mining industry placed a domino effect on all other industries
- these strikes of course were supported by the ILP as 50% the Trade Union Congress were affiliated with the ILP.
- These strikes highlighted the great division between the rich and poor in this time period.
- An issue to which reforms were promised when the Liberal government was elected.
- However, these electoral promises continued unfulfilled and the public of GB, especially the working class, began to turn to the ILP for reform. - Liberal success
- 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 1908 the Pensions Act was passed.
- This was welcomed by many old people, and by 1914 970,000 people a year were claiming a pension.
- In 1908 the Labour Exchanges Act was passed.
- They were shown to be a success as in 1912 they helped over 560,000 workers find work.
- Labour seemed insignificant to many after the rise of ‘New Liberalism’. Their policies were very similar to Labour’s
Conc: Despite their policies being rather similar to that of the Liberals, failures of the Liberals meant that Labour had growing support, and with union members affiliated with them rising to 800,000, they were a majorly significant party by 1914
2
Q
‘From the outbreak of war in 1914, until its end in 1918, the state succeeded in controlling all aspects of British Society’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
A
- Nationalisation and centralisation became crucial for efficiency in the war effort.
- Railways nationalised and profits became fixed-Shells became collectivised after the shell shortage in 1915 which led to increased casualties b/c of supply failure
- Shipping and coal industry also centralised
- > by 1917, a increase in shipping + decrease in strikes seen in coal industry -Imports/ production = controlled
- > essentials + commodities rationed Link: factors increased efficiency in transportation and production, aiding the war effort - Increased taxes necessary to maintain the cost of war.
- WW1 cost GB under $5 mill a day -> increased national debt bank borrowing
- > USA $2mill a dayran down GB gold reserves
- Although Lib usually only taxed unproductive wealth, clearly this would not sustain war cost
- Income tax rose from 9d to 6 s 1914-18
- Death duties rose sharply + excess profits taxes imposed on a range of goods - Censorship and Propaganda became necessary in order to maintain morale
- Defence of Realm Act introduced 1914
- > restricted freedom of press + censored newspaper + films + -decreased pub licensing hours
- > evident that the war would not ‘end by christmas’
- Dept. of information 1917 used radio to spread beliefs that the Somme was a success b/c boost of morale would mean increased war effort - Ireland
- WW1 put the 3rd HR bill on the shelf leading to the Irish to believe that WW1 was an opportunity to gain independence through Easter Rising
- Government response-subsequent executions of 15 leading rebels, including Pearse and Connolly.
- The sharp suppression of the Rising undoubtedly caused support for Irish Independence.
- Widespread public revulsion at the executions exacerbated a growing alienation from the British administration in Ireland.
- In turn this fuelled support for the republican separatist movement, Sinn Féin, which comprehensively defeated the Redmondite nationalists in the December 1918 general election, thus providing a political underpinning for the Irish war of independence - Asquith’s failures
- Ammunition shortages
- Country was not producing enough ammunition for W front dispatch from Colonel Repington in the Times blamed lib gov for shell shortage
- attempt to land a GB force at Dardanelles in April 1915 to knock Turkey out of war failed
- Decreased A’s popularity only 130 of 272 seats willingly support
3
Q
How successful, by 1914, had the Liberal been in fulfilling the aims of their welfare reforms?
A
- Liberal reforms sought to help young.
- 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. - However, the Act had some limitations.
- 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. - Unemployed
- 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.
- 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. - The Liberals also sought to tackle the problem of poverty in old age.
- 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. - Did not address the key problems in society.
- The National Insurance Act was successful in that it provided financial assistance to help workers who suffered from temporary sickness,
- but 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 Liberals also sought to help workers who were at risk of falling into poverty due to sickness.
- If workers were too ill to work, they were unable to earn a living to support themselves and their families.
- In 1911 the National Insurance Act (Part 1) was passed.
- This 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.
- The Act also 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.
4
Q
‘The constitutional crisis in the years 1909-1911 strengthened the Liberal Party’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
A
- Reduced power of H of L
- Long Term rejection of Liberal bills by H of L
- maj. of H of L (355) were Conservative
- used by Cons. to undermine Lib gov.
- Education Bill 1906 aimed to appeal to NC
- meant Libs could not fulfil electoral promise to NC
- Trade Disputes Bill + Plural voting bill
- > both major items on Lib gov legislative programme
- The Parliament Act 1911 took away the right of the H of L to veto bills consequently allowing Libs to fulfil electoral promises - 1909 Budget
- introduced child allowances £10 a year for every child land valuation, graduated income tax
- Issues of national efficiency had arisen amongst the Gb public since the end of the Boer war in 1901
- > The Budget was the depiction of Liberal beliefs
- > It held great importance in the hearts of many Libs including L.G.
- > Limehouse Speech documented the atrocities of aristocracy
- > Parliament Act that grew out of Constitutional Crisis not only allowed the 1909 Budget to be passed, it also decreased the power of aristocracy in the form of H of L - 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.
5
Q
‘Sir Edward grey did too little in response to Germany’s threats to international peace in the period between December 1905 and July 1914’. Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
A
- Greys appreciation that sea power was the basis of British power in the world allowed Britain to secure naval supremacy in 1912.
- It was evident that German Naval Laws of 1898 and 1900 would bring Germany’s naval power above that of Britain’s. -However, many liberals sought to transfer money into domestic reform rather than dreadnoughts.
- Grey combatted this by assisting Wyndham’s 1909 campaign with the slogan ‘we want eight and we won’t wait’ which effectively caught the public mood.
- It was this allocation of money which allowed Britain’s navy to maintain its power above Germany.
- However, the naval race brought tension between Britain and Germany.
- This tension was heightened when Germany’s ‘Panther’ appeared at Agadir.
- Grey was so alarmed that military conversations with France took a further step.
- In 1912, a secret Anglo-French naval agreement strengthened the relationship between England and France.
- This allowed Britain to ensure that Germany could not prove threat to Britain through the west coast of France but also provided greater German incentive for war in 1914.
- This agreement was reached without cabinet consent.
- This resulted in the cabinets mistrust of Grey when the secret was exposed.
- it provided France with security of British support which is why the cabinet would have most likely disagreed with this agreement if Grey had brought forth this idea. - On the other hand, many believe that Britain’s relationship with France should have been converted into an alliance in order to prevent German aggression.
- Cambon, the French ambassador in London, felt things could not be left as they were as he was convinced that the Kaiser was intent on confrontation.
- French nerves were strained as Grey’s assurance of diplomatic support provided no firm military guarantees.
- A firm alliance with France may have deterred Germany.
- However, this view assumes that Grey could have persuaded the Cabinet and Parliament in favour of an alliance with France and Russia.
- Grey clearly believed this was not feasible and was unconvinced that forming a rival alliance would have made war less likely.
- Liberal neutralists and disarmers would have caused such an alliance to split Britain.
- If France or Russia were confident of Britain’s support they might have been encouraged to attack Germany.
- Alternatively, this could have catalysed war as Germany may have believed the Schliffen plan was the only method to avoid encirclement. - Throughout tension with Germany, Grey was able to maintain Anglo-German trade.
- Although tension from the naval race was inevitable, many argue that Grey’s persistence in talks with Germany allowed Britain to continue its reliance in German trade.
- In the period 1890-1913, British imports from Germany trebled and Britain exports to Germany doubled.
- The trade between the two was of an unrivalled magnitude.
- Germany increasingly purchased raw materials form the British empire and ‘invisibles’ from the City of London which clearly stimulated the British economy.
- Despite this, many criticise Grey for continually attempting to settle disputes with Germany.
- Although some progress was eventually made on colonial matters through Greys discussions, Grey was unable to halt the arms race and any attempts to discuss German naval disarmament was shifted by Admiral Tirpitz.
- In 1910, Admiral Tirpitz established that hopes of reaching any agreement to halt the naval race was dependant on Grey’s promise of Britain’s neutrality.
- However, Britain’s agreements with France and Russia ruled that out, especially if Germany proved war with France.
- Therefore, It can be argued that Grey’s negotiations merely encouraged German aggression. - Possibly the most successful response from Grey was that which united a divided cabinet in 1914.
- On the 1st of August, the Cabinet was still wavering, repeating its ‘no commitment’ position.
- Upon Germany entry into Belgium on the 3rd of August, Grey told the House of Commons that the future of Europe could be under the domination of one power with the knowledge that his would be an intolerable position for Britain.
- Grey’s ability to unite anti-imperialists to a decision for war was significant because the liberals were a party of faddists.
- The Liberal split in 1888 over Home Rule left them out of power for 20 years.
- However, Morley and Burns argue that this would have been unnecessary if no military conversations with France and Russia had taken place.
- Additionally, Grey has been criticised for being too indecisive between July and August 1914.
- Germany’s place after Austria had declared war on Serbia on the 28th of July was clear.
- Therefore, if Grey had stated a position earlier, the Schliffen plan would have been prevented, preventing Britain’s entry into war.
- Nonetheless, Grey’s discretion allowed Britain to avoid entanglement until it became absolutely necessary.
Conc: In spite of criticism of Grey’s indecisiveness in the issues of alliance, entry into war and negotiations, Grey was successful in steering a middle path between over-commitment and supporting France and Russia against German domination of the continent through discretion and compromise.
6
Q
How important was the militancy of the suffragettes in preventing women winning the right to vote before the outbreak of the First World War?
A
- Suffragette militancy
- Although drew attention from the public,in the long term it allowed the 1906 government to ignore the issue of women’s suffrage -> beyond allowing women to sit on local councils (1907 Qualification of Women Act).
- violent tactics used by suffragette militancy groups galvanised the opposition -able to accuse women of being emotionally unbalanced and unfit to take a more active role in society.
Link: It supported the idea that women were irresponsible
- Women biologically different
- > too emotional + sentimental - as the suffragettes smashed windows and sent peppered letters.
- >legitimate reason for the liberal government not to introduce a reform
- no government at the time would have given into the behaviour and violence of the suffragette militants.
- allow men to represent women -> women having vote may split families + divide society as a whole
Link: Suffrage had been denied to women before militancy
- Failure of NUWSS to gain female suffrage
- The NUWSS wanted the vote for middle class property
- owning women -> Many women felt this was not enough
- Believed they would achieve their end using peaceful tactics
- non-violent demonstrations, petitions and the lobbying of MPs.
- By 1905 the media had lost interest in the struggle for women’s rights.
- Newspapers rarely reported meetings and usually refused to publish articles and letters written by supporters of women’s suffrage.
Link: Emmeline Pankhurst felt that a militant campaign would once again gain the attention of those in Parliament and media
- Lib Gov
- Libs divided on the issue of women’s suffrage ; some were against it entirely and others were unclear about how to achieve it.
- In 1906, many Liberal candidates expressed their support of the idea of women’s suffrage raising hopes but in reality the 1906 government had no intention of risking the issue. -1906 government ignored the issue of women’s suffrage beyond allowing women to sit on local councils
- 1907 Qualification of Women Act
- Not enough support in Parliament to pass bills- WSPU believed violent tactics would disrupt Parliament enough so that Women’s suffrage would be passed
7
Q
‘Britain formed ententes in order to protect itself from the challenge of Germany’ explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
A
- Germany’s economic strength.
- 1870 - 1900 GB declined from being the world’s leading industrial nation to third in economic performance.
- G greater population than GB, 1910-1911 20% greater
- > larger work force and a larger consumer market.
- By 1906 to 1910, the German percentage of world manufacturing capacity was greater than Britain’s.
- 860, Britain was the captain of the steel industry producing as much as two times the amount of steel Germany was producing. 1914 1/2
- evident that GB econ in decline + beginning to rely more heavily on German exports.
- > left GB vulnerable as G became a stronger power which upset the balance of power - German military strength also began tilting the balance of power in Europe
- German colonisation and expansion
- In 1903, G began extending the Constantinople railway from Berlin to the Turkish empire, extending influence and trade. This growth left Britain with mistrust and concerns about German intentions.
- The British Admiralty estimated that the German navy would be the world’s second largest by 1906.
- clear to Britain that Tirpitz’s ultimate goal was a fleet capable of rivaling the British fleet.
- Britain’s Naval Defence Act of 1889 -> Britain was to maintain a navy superior to Britain’s two largest rivals combined.
- German militarism was feared by Britain as the arms race progressed in speed. - Russian expansion
- Tsar Nicholas II’s letter to Edward VII conveyed Europe’s disapproval of the Boer war entering a plea for’a small people desperately defending their country’.
- At the time, Salisbury saw the Tsar’s criticism as a threat to comply an ultimatum from Sweden to halt the movement of troops into Finland.
- the common interest truly fuelling the alliance was opposition to Russian expansion.
- This was made clear as early as the 1890s, when Cecil Spring Rice identified that the United Kingdom and Japan working in concert was the only way to challenge Russian power in the region.
- Japan was beginning to become a viable candidate for alliance.
- Negotiations began when Russia began to move into China. - Entente Cordiale would reduce costs for GB
- France shared similar political views with Britain and Britain had little interest in Morocco.
- However, Egypt was a key part of the old spice and trade routes between Europe and Asia.
- The Suez Canal provided the quickest way of maintaining communications between Britain and India.
- French and Egyptian governments financed the opening of the Suez Canal 1869
- In 1875, the Egyptian ruler was forced to sell his shares in the canal operating company to the British government. the majority of shares were still held by French private investors.
- The international status of British control over Egypt remained uncertain since 1882
- > profitable Indian Empire was under threat
- the Entente Cordiale of April 1904. France promised not to challenge British control over Egypt
8
Q
‘The First World War had a beneficial impact on the British society in the years 1914 to 1918’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
A
- Women
- Representation of People’s Act 1918 -> gave suffrage to women
- Demands for Women’s suffrage increased
- By 1906, a woman could be a mayor, town councillor, nurse, doctor, teacher or a factory hand.
- Although women proved they could work equally as well as men, they were paid less. -> needed representation
- New occupations allowed women to become rate and tax payers and therefore demand the right to representation alike other taxpayers rose.
- In 1906, many Liberal candidates expressed their support of the idea of women’s suffrage raising hopes but in reality the 1906 government had no intention of risking the issue. -1906 government ignored the issue of women’s suffrage beyond allowing women to sit on local councils
- 1907 Qualification of Women Act
- The war overturned the image that women were too emotional to make important decisions -> a feeling that had developed from actions of suffragette militancy
- > showed women were responsible -> aid war effort - Ireland
- WW1 put the 3rd HR bill on the shelf leading to the Irish to believe that WW1 was an opportunity to gain independence through Easter Rising
- Government response-subsequent executions of 15 leading rebels, including Pearse and Connolly.
- The sharp suppression of the Rising undoubtedly caused support for Irish Independence.
- Widespread public revulsion at the executions exacerbated a growing alienation from the British administration in Ireland.
- In turn this fuelled support for the republican separatist movement, Sinn Féin, which comprehensively defeated the Redmondite nationalists in the December 1918 general election, thus providing a political underpinning for the Irish war of independence
- WW1 therefore proved to be beneficial to many Irish Nationalists however, damaging to Ulster Unionists
- Ulster Unionists had made it clear since the 1st attempt to pass a HR bill in 1886, that Ulster was to be excluded
- This area was the only industrialised part of the island, with a million-strong community different in religion, culture and national feeling from the majority nationalist community.
- Ulster unionists felt it was their birth right to be a part of England and that ind. was ripping this away from them
- beginning of a new economic order which would result in Ulster providing economic support for the ailing south of Ireland. - Ordinary lives of GB public
- Increased taxes necessary to maintain the cost of war.
- WW1 cost GB under $5 mill a day
- > increased national debt bank borrowing
- > USA $2mill a day ran down GB gold reserves
- Although Lib usually only taxed unproductive wealth, clearly this would not sustain war cost
- Income tax rose from 9d to 6 s 1914-18-Death duties rose sharply + excess profits taxes imposed on a range of goods
- The strains of taxes and war meant that Censorship and Propaganda became necessary in order to maintain morale
- Defence of Realm Act introduced 1914
- > restricted freedom of press + censored newspaper + films + -decreased pub licensing hours
9
Q
How important was the 1909 Budget in bringing a constitutional crisis in Britain in the years 1909-1911?
A
- 1909 Budget
- introduced child allowances £10 a year for every child land valuation, graduated income tax -> seen as socialist
- many were landowners -> felt subjected to unfair treatment
- blatant attempt to reduce the power of aristocracy was also evident in that the Budget went above and beyond normal financial provisions
- Alrdy felt under attack financially by 1876 reforms
- context of 80’s + Ag depression -> less money
- However, H of L didn’t normally reject financial bills- Non-elected H of L rejected a elected H of C bill
- This led to great controversy in the Liberal Gov. with belief that the power of the H of L should be reduced
- Issues of national efficiency had arisen amongst the Gb public since the end of the Boer war in 1901
- > The Budget was the depiction of Liberal beliefs
- > It held great importance in the hearts of many Libs including L.G.
- > Limehouse Speech documented the atrocities of aristocracy
- > Constitutional Crisis would decreased the power of aristocracy in the form of H of L
Link: However, it is evident that this desire to reduce the power of the House of Lords pre-dated the 1909 Budget
- Long Term rejection of Liberal bills by H of L
- maj. of H of L (355) were Conservative- used by Cons. to undermine Lib gov.
- Education Bill 1906 aimed to appeal to NC
- meant Libs could not fulfil electoral promise to NC
- > lost supporters + votes
- Trade Disputes Bill + Plural voting bill-> both major items on Lib gov legislative programme - Parliament Act 1911
- Asquith threatened to flush the H of L with Lib peers if H of L rejected Parliament Act
- sought to remove the power of the House of Lords to reject money bills, and to replace the Lords’ veto over other public bills with the power of delay.-
Greatly diminished power of H of L which was seen as sacred -> establishment in the foundation of GB
-> thus causing great tension between H of L and Lib gov
10
Q
‘The social reforms introduced in the years 1906 to 1911 were an outstanding success for the Liberal Party’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
A
- Liberal reforms sought to help young.
- 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. - However, the Act had some limitations.
- 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. - The Liberals also sought to tackle the problem of poverty in old age.
- 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. - However 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. - Unemployed
- 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.
- 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. - However, they had some flaws.
- Employers were not required to inform the centres of vacancies
- most of the jobs advertised only offered temporary employment, so the exchanges did little to tackle the problem of long term unemployment.
- > 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.
Con: Whilst the reforms passed by the Liberal Government between 1906-1914 went some way towards addressing some of the main problems associated with poverty, they clearly fell well short of removing the problem from society altogether.
11
Q
‘Asquith was entirely responsible for the opposition of the Ulster Unionists to the Home Rule Bill in the years 1912-1914’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
A
- 1912 HR Bill created an Irish Parliament despite the numerous limitations on the power of this Parliament its existence was enough to drive unionists to commit to the Covenant
- Protests in Belfast 2 days before HR Bill introduced with over 100k people ignored by Lib gov.
-> It included Ulster despite Carson’s demands for Ulster to be excluded- the passage of the 1911 Parliament Act meant that the 1912 Home Rule Bill would eventually become law.
-The pro-Unionist House of Lords would be unable to prevent or delay it any longer.
=This was a simple reality known and understood by all Ulster Unionists
-No attempt was made to prosecute the leaders of UVF for all their illegality, nor were Redmond or Dillon inclined to call for prosecutions. - Unionist opposition to HR pre-dated Asquith’s terms in government
- Ulster Unionists had made it clear since the 1st attempt to pass a HR bill in 1886, that Ulster was to be excluded
- This area was the only industrialised part of the island, with a million-strong community different in religion, culture and national feeling from the majority nationalist community.
- Ulster unionists felt it was their birth right to be a part of England and that HR was ripping this away from them
- Many Ulstermen saw Home Rule as the beginning of a new economic order which would result in Ulster providing economic support for the ailing south of Ireland.
- > Unionist leaders Carson + Craig spoke at several big rallies across the province.
- > In September 1912, the Ulster Unionist Council organised the signing of the Solemn League and Covenant by more than 200,000 men pledging them to resist Home Rule. - Ulster opposition of Home Rule was ushered by the Cons party
- Long standing tradition of opposition towards HR
- > 2nd HR Bill 1892 rejected by H of L maj Cons
- > believed that GB would be stronger united
- > At a huge rally of all UK Unionist associations at Blenheim in July 1912, Bonar Law stated that there was ‘no length of resistance’ to which Ulster could go which he would not be ready to support.
- It was this exact statement from Bonar Law that was used as an approval for violence from the Ulster Unionists
- On 13 January 1913, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) was formally established by the Ulster Unionist Council
- > began drilling, though with few weapons as yet.
- > Nationalist organs ridiculed such displays and dismissed threats of armed resistance as bluff.
- began to smuggle in consignments of guns and ammunition.
- > Carson carried out daily inspections of UVF units across Ulster.
12
Q
How important was the Labour Party’s alliance with the Liberals in strengthening the political power of the Labour Party by 1914?
A
- The Lib-Lab Pact of 1903
- The LRC was relatively new and it needed additional political support to strengthen its chances of influencing decision making nationally
- The Lib-Lab Pact saved them money, as they didn’t have to pay to oppose them
- benefitted the emerging Labour movement.
- In order to further exploit this development the LRC formed the pact with the Liberals
- Liberal had agreed not to oppose them in 30 constituencies, which worked as they won 29 of these seats in the 1906 General ‘Khaki’ Election, which soon became 30.
- The Lib-Lab pact recognised that Labour was being a force to be reckoned with. - H of L decreased strength of Lib party
- > 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. - TU + WC
- the ILP itself strengthened greatly between 1906-1914. In 1906, the working class had already begun turning to the ILP for representation with 30 MP’s in the ILP of industrial background without a university degree.
- By 1908, the ILP had gained support from the miners federation of GB.
- This was a huge blow to the liberal party because this sense of opposition to the government great contributed to the many strikes which took place between 1910 and 1914.
- A prominent example of this being the ‘Ely Pit Coalfield’ riots where the situation became so out of hand that the mine owner had to ask for police assistance.
- Successful strikes which occurred in the mining industry placed a domino effect on all other industries
- these strikes of course were supported by the ILP as 50% the Trade Union Congress were affiliated with the ILP.
- These strikes highlighted the great division between the rich and poor in this time period.
- An issue to which reforms were promised when the Liberal government was elected.
- However, these electoral promises continued unfulfilled and the public of GB, especially the working class, began to turn to the ILP for reform.
13
Q
‘Balfour’s leadership was responsible for the decline in the popularity of the Conservative Party in the years 1902 to 1906.’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
A
- Balfour’s mistakes
- Non-conformists
- Education act 1902
- Granted ratepayers’ money to voluntary Church of England schools -> NC voluntary schools funds from the state rather than from rates
- Licensing act 1904 -> used by NC to castigate gov for intro a levy on industry so brewers could receive compensation for losses through NC taxes
- Same lack of understanding for NC showed in Balfour legislation against WC
- > Lost vote of WC- lack of action Taff Vale judgement 1901 = uncaring
- > prohibited WC from striking only set up royal commission-highlighted by Chinese Slavery 1902-4
- C workers appalling living conditions
- > separation of men + women - flaggings allegedly authorised by Milner
- publicly viewed as morally wrong
- reminded public of B war conc. camps - WC not valued
- Balfour resigns before general election 1906
Link: It was the effects of the B war which highlighted Balfour’s cold and callous actions
- Boer war
- B war shifted public opinion against empire
- 3 years to fight a war against ‘dutch farmers’
- conc. camps = 26k women + children died -> unethical
- war cost £210 mill -> seen as a fight for aristocracy
- money could have been spent on social issues in GB
- public believed Chamberlain benefitted econ. from war b/c family was in ammunitions
- > against empire against imperial preference
- B war also brought about a new grave concern for national efficiency in GB2. National efficiency
- 8k/11k volunteers Manchester turned away- money needed for social reforms
- Social investigations by Booth + Rowntree
- 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 - Tariff reform
- Tariff reform controversial -> idea of free trade was practically a religion
- public against empire against + imperial preference
- created op. for libs to criticise Cons. gov
- > reminding public of treatment of WC with TV + CS, using ‘Big loaf, little loaf’ campaign to show WC that tariff reform would lead to increased prices
- > free trade + competition drives prices down
- belief that tariff reform -> decline in GB econ.
- taxes on foreign good -> more expensive home goods - tariff = prices go up
- Many cons. members supported free trade
- Churchill + Duke of Devonshire cross the floor to Libs- Tariff reform split Cons. party
- > split party = weak party
- Issue of tariff reform leads to Balfour’s resignation 1906
- > new gov. formed by united Lib. over free trade under Campbell Bannerman
- loss of Cons. MP’s due to tariff reform led to many new MP’s which public were deemed unexperienced- Lib. Landslide victory general election 1906
Conc: Decline for support for the Conservative party derived from the Boer war and the mistakes of Balfour only reiterated the need for a new government which would provide change in the form of social reforms. Tariff reform acted as a catalyst to the fall of the Conservative party.
14
Q
‘The Liberals introduced social reforms in the years 1906 to 1911 merely in order to strengthen their on political power.’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
A
- Political Power
- 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. - Went against Traditional Liberal Principles
- 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. - 1909 Budget acted as proof that Liberal reforms were not merely for political progress as the constitutional crisis greatly weakened them as a 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 important was the impact of the First World War in changing Irish nationalism in the years 1914 to 1918?
A
- WW1
- Put 3rd HR bill on shelf just as the H of L delay time from 1912 was coming to an end
- > Redmond encouraged Irish to fight in WW1 to represent GB -> Conscription introduced 1916
- > 1 thing to volunteer to fight in war another to force men to die for GB
- > 18-40 - 210,000 Irishmen served in the GB forces during WW1-> 35k Irish died
- > heightened need for independence
- Belief that WW1 was the best opportunity to take seize Irish independence - Easter Rising
- A small minority of separatist republican radicals broke away from Redmond to form the ‘Irish Volunteers’
- believing the old nationalist adage that ‘England’s extremity is Ireland’s opportunity’, they began planning for a rebellion against British rule in Ireland.
- At Easter 1916, led by James Connolly and the visionary nationalist, Patrick Pearse, some 1,800 volunteers seized the General Post Office (GPO) and various other major buildings in Dublin
- >proclaimed an Irish republic, and held out for a week before overwhelming force obliged them to surrenderLink: The government responded harshly to this rising - Government response-subsequent executions of 15 leading rebels, including Pearse and Connolly.
- The sharp suppression of the Rising undoubtedly caused support for Irish Independence.
- Widespread public revulsion at the executions exacerbated a growing alienation from the British administration in Ireland.
- In turn this fuelled support for the republican separatist movement, Sinn Féin, which comprehensively defeated the Redmondite nationalists in the December 1918 general election, thus providing a political underpinning for the Irish war of independence
