Reasons why Liberals Passed Reforms from 1906-1914

Question 1

Reasons why Liberals Passed Reforms from 1906-1914
Introduction:

Answer 1

• BK: The government had a laissez faire attitude up until 1906 and poverty was blamed on individual faults such as greed and laziness.
• BK: The Liberals weren’t elected over plans to pass reforms but they did so nonetheless to deal with effects of industrialisation such as overcrowding, poor health, and low pay.
• Factors: Fears over National Security, the Poverty Reports, the Rise of Labour, Municipal socialism (and New Liberalism)
• LOA: This essay will argue that the fears over national security were the most important reason why the liberals passed reforms 1906-1914.

Question 2

Reasons why Liberals Passed Reforms from 1906-1914
Fears over National Security and National Efficiency

Answer 2

• KU: Boer War from
  1899-1902, 40-60% of British Army volunteers were turned away because they were too unfit to enrol. This worried the British public that Britain couldn’t protect itself in a war.
• KU: The Fitzroy report by the committee for physical deterioration suggested that the government counteract this by implementing free school meals and medical inspections for poor children
• A: These suggestions were among the first implemented by the government (1906) showing its importance
• A+: The most expensive act was the pensions, which did not help soldiers or national security
• E: Most important because the government couldn’t ignore the risk to security and efficiency, they wanted to remain ahead of the USA and Germany as a global superpower so they passed reforms such as NI to improve the health of the nation and labour exchanges to increase employment for the economy

Question 3

Reasons why Liberals Passed Reforms from 1906-1914
Social Campaigners

Answer 3

• KU: Charles Booth found that 35% of London was living below the ‘poverty like’ of 21 shillings per week.
• KU: Seebhom Rowntree found that 28% of York was in poverty and coined the phrases ‘primary and secondary poverty’
• A: Rowntree proved statistically that extreme poverty was a national issue that should be helped by the government rather than local councils
• A+: Rowntree’s notion of ‘secondary poverty’ convinced some politicians that the laissez faire mindset was correct and that they shouldn’t pass reforms
• E: Didn’t suggest a way forward, unlike fears for national security which did

Question 4

Reasons why Liberals Passed Reforms from 1906-1914
the Rise of Labour

Answer 4

• KU: In 1906, the Labour party was formed. Led by Kier Hardie, it aimed to improve living and working conditions for everyone, especially the working class
• KU: In 1910, Labour won 2 by-elections, had 40 MPs in the snap election. Liberals only beat conservatives by 2 seats, making them feel threatened
• A: Liberals felt threatened and passed reforms to win over labour voters
• A+: Many working class were against paying contributions into schemes such as National Insurance
• E: Labour party was too small to be a threat, but the concerns over national security were huge and could only be fixed by passing reforms.

Question 5

Reasons why Liberals Passed Reforms from 1906-1914
Municipal Socialism

Answer 5

• KU: 1850s Glasgow Town Council used taxpayer money to provide clean water from Loch Katrine, controll the gas lighting and improve the trams.
• KU: Some councils started providing free school meals to children in poverty, Manchester in 1879 and the School Board for London.
• A: Life expectancy improved in Glasgow due to clean water, showing the government that intervention was effective
• A+: If local councils were being successful then what is the reason for passing national reform
• E: reforms were not mandatory, however the fears for NS made mandatory reforms such as NI be passed.

Question 6

Reasons why Liberals Passed Reforms from 1906-1914
New Liberalism (only if isolated factor)

Answer 6

• KU: New Liberals such as David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill wanted to use their position in government to help their poor constituents
• KU: In 1908 DLG proposed the ‘people’s budget’ to help poor people by taxing land, tobacco, and alcohol.
• A: Without the new Liberals, the party wouldn’t have become interventionist
• A+: However they could only really influence the Liberal government after 1908 when Bannerman died, by which point reforms had already been passed.
• E: Not the most important because wealthy people opposed new liberal ideas such as the people’s budget but reduced national efficiency and security would directly negatively affect them so they passed reforms.

Question 7

Reasons why Liberals Passed Reforms from 1906-1914 conclusion

Answer 7

• Fears was the most important factor because it directly affected rich politicians so they passed reforms to protect the cuntry
• Rowntree ‘secondary poverty’ convinced politicians that laissez faire was fine, but the fears meant reforms had to be passed, regardless of who was to blame for the poverty
• There were no mentions of reforms in the Labour manifesto, but reforms needed to be passed by the Liberals to improve the workforce and the army.
• The local reforms were not always compulsory, but fears for national security caused the Liberals to pass nationwide, mandatory reforms such as National Insurance.
• The New Liberals couldn’t really impact the government until 1908, but fears over national security were prevalent from the Boer War until 1914, showing how the fears over national security were the most important reason for the Liberals passing social welfare reforms from 1906-1914.