Section one chapter 2

Question 1

What was the population of Great Britain and Ireland in 1906

Answer 1

• 43 million

Question 2

What was the economic situation before 1906?

Answer 2

Employment increasing for men/women
New industries established by 1906

Question 3

What were the main staple industries in 1913?

Answer 3

Textiles, steel, industry, coal and shipbuilding
1913 - 60% exports came from these

Question 4

What evidence supported the optimistic view of Britain’s position regarding the staples

Answer 4

• key shipbuilding nation after 1870
• owned 1/2 worlds shipping before 1914
• Cotton trade maintained strong export trade

Question 5

New industries

Answer 5

• most prominent new industries:
• Electronic engineering
• Chemicals
  -Motor vehicle production
• Had a growth rate of 3.8% per annual.

Question 6

New industries

Answer 6

• most prominent new industries:
• Electronic engineering
• Chemicals
  -Motor vehicle production
• Had a growth rate of 3.8% per annual.

Question 7

Why did the number of people working in agriculture fall by 1901

Answer 7

• fell to under 1.5 million
• because of mechanisation + British eating food imported from overseas

Question 8

How was British land held?

Answer 8

Large estates
- let out to tenant farmers who paid rent + gained profit by selling produce

Question 9

Why did many farmers change their focus of production by 1914?

Answer 9

• Long period of agricultural depression
• Competition from abroad for cheap grain
• Moved from wheat growing to areas such as dairy farming and beef cattle

Question 10

What percentage of goods/services produced in Britain was sold abroad in 1914

Answer 10

30% goods + services sold abroad
Britain still had 25% worlds trade

Question 11

Invisible exports in Britain

Answer 11

Vital to economy and continued to grow in 20th century
- Britain = world leader in banking
London remained commercial centre of world
- 1913 - 32% national wealth from overseas investments

Question 12

Economic concerns and external competition

Answer 12

• imports grew faster than exports = ‘trade gap’
  Germany and USA took over

Question 13

Areas of concern in British econ: lack of research/investment in new technologies

Answer 13

Britain’s coal mines = labour intensive
- over 1 million employed in mines in 1913

Question 14

Areas of concern in Britain’s econ: Lack of progress in new industries

Answer 14

• Germany + USA took lead in new industries
• 1930 - 90% artificial dyes imported

Question 15

Areas of concern in British Econ: low wage economy

Answer 15

• only rich/middle class could afford to buy new manufactured goods - small domestic market

Question 16

Areas of concern in British Econ: issue of free trade

Answer 16

• liberal govs free trade policy meant foreign traders had easy access to British markets + Britain could not bargain with others

Question 17

Areas of concern in British Econ: shortcomings in education and training

Answer 17

fear that British workers were not learning sufficient skills in schools
- limiting workforce

Question 18

Areas of concern in British Econ: problems in agriculture

Answer 18

• late 19th century - farmers suffered shock of foreign competition
• Only 1/4 of wheat sold in Britain came from British farms

Question 19

Positive aspects of British Econ 1906 -14

Answer 19

• stable industries still profitable
• London remained commercial centre of world and dominance unchallenged
• cheaper food = value of wages, consistently rising