social and liberal reform: 1900 - 1918

Question 1

when was the liberal party formed?

Answer 1

1859

Question 2

what 5 groups created the liberal party?

Answer 2

the whig party, the peelites, the independent radicals, the non-comformists and the chartists

Question 3

what did type of people were in the cabinet of the liberal party and what did this mean?

Answer 3

lawyers, writers and journalist from the middle class meaning the idea of new liberalism came forward

Question 4

what was traditional liberalism?

Answer 4

• minimum intervention from government
• strict controls on government spending
• minimum taxation
• more emphasis on individual representation

Question 5

what was new liberalism?

Answer 5

• greater government intervention
• increased government spending on social reform
• increased personal taxation for the wealthier classes
• more emphasis on collective responsibility

Question 6

what did the unauthorised programme, led by chamberlain do?

Answer 6

a meeting for the liberals to become united and do things like abolition of school fees, property tax, reform of the house of lords etc

Question 7

what did the newcastle programme do?

Answer 7

promoted home rule for ireland, limits to hours of working day, increase democracy and voting and sick-pay and pensions

Question 8

what were the reasons for liberal reforms?

Answer 8

• the influence of new liberalism
• the nature of british society and the studies on poverty
• national efficiency
• the impact of the boer war

Question 9

who were 3 people who looked into and studied poverty?

Answer 9

booth, rowntree and galt

Question 10

what issues did booth, rowntree and galt talk about and how did it relate to new liberalism?

Answer 10

looked at not having enough food, fuel and clothing to live. whatever there was wasn’t enough quality to be sustaibable. poor living conditions
> realised it was impossible to get out of this cycle and showed that there was a deep flaw in laissez-faire and that direct intervention was needed

Question 11

what does ‘national efficiency’ mean?

Answer 11

belief that britain needed to promote greater health and welfare for the poor, as they were behind socially and scientifically, which was weakening the british populations (especially children

Question 12

what were the issues when trying to recruit for the boer war?

Answer 12

was quickly established that hardly any worker was healthy enough to meet regulations as everybody had poor physical health and bad diet (rowntree report)

Question 13

what did charles booth do?

Answer 13

carried out studies in london into poverty, produced maps of where the situations were the worst: 35% of people lived in poverty

Question 14

what did seebohm rowntree do?

Answer 14

investigated poverty in york and published his findings: 40% lived on wage below sufficiency and couldn’t support families

Question 15

what did john galt do?

Answer 15

published photographs of poverty in newspapers and magazines

Question 16

how significant were studies on poverty in the introduction of the liberal reforms?

Answer 16

the government could no longer ignore the issue as there was clear evidence which highlighted the struggle. reforms needed to be made based of the studies in order for the public to be happy in belief that liberal government were trying to help

Question 17

how significant was national efficiency in the introduction of the liberal reforms?

Answer 17

raised question of how britain would fair in a real threat of war from growing european forces

Question 18

how significant was the importance of new liberalism in the introduction of the liberal reforms?

Answer 18

the belief grew in popularity and therefore the government had to appeal to the people’s belief and forced to act on this effectively if they wanted to stay in power

Question 19

how significant was national efficiency in the introduction of the liberal reforms?

Answer 19

it threatened every aspect of of britain’s structure so therefore changed needed to happen

Question 20

what were some of the liberal reforms around children?

Answer 20

school meals 1906, education act 1907 and children’s charted 1908

Question 21

what was the school meals act 1906 and its limitations?

Answer 21

free school meals provided to school kids
limitations = cant access during the holidays

Question 22

what was the education act 1907 and its limitations?

Answer 22

three free medical checkups provided to a child
limitation = treatment not given

Question 23

what was the children’s charter 1908?

Answer 23

made abuse legislation stricter, ruled out neglect and you can’t sell drinks to children

Question 24

what was the old age pensions act 1908 and its limitations?

Answer 24

over 70s were granted five shilling per week
limitations = requirements meant it was very restricted, couldn’t have applied for poor relief, been in prison in 10 years or if you didn’t have regular work

Question 25

what were the liberal reforms around workers?

Answer 25

trade dispute 1906, people’s budget 1909, national insurance 1911, health insurance and unemployment insurance

Question 26

what was the trade dispute act 1906?

Answer 26

overturned taff vale decision, allowing for strikes

Question 27

what was the people’s budget 1909?

Answer 27

proposed bill to increase social reform and improve the lives of workers by increasing tax on the rich to fund national insurance

Question 28

what was the national insurance act 1911?

Answer 28

two parts: one which covered health insurance and the other part that dealt with unemployment insurance

Question 29

what was the health insurance provision (part of the national insurance act 1911) and what were the limitations?

Answer 29

weekly pay taken from workers so they received pay when ill
limitations = didn’t cover women and children or hospital treatment

Question 30

what was the unemployment insurance provision (part of the national insurance act 1911) and what were the limitations?

Answer 30

aimed to support workers who lost their jobs
limitations = only for construction and engineering workers and wasn’t a long term solution

Question 31

what was the reaction to national insurance from the workers and the labour party?

Answer 31

• labour wanted the rich to fully fund it
• some people were unsure against state intervention
• happy with some

Question 32

what was the reaction to national insurance from doctors?

Answer 32

unhappy with it as they believed it would lower status and demean position but positive because they would get more patients

Question 33

what was the reaction to national insurance from trade unions?

Answer 33

unhappy as they found it harder to negotiate with the liberals therefore limiting their opportunities

Question 34

what was the reaction to national insurance from friendly businesses?

Answer 34

not happy because it is bad business to them

Question 35

what are friendly societies and industrial insurance companies?

Answer 35

types of insurance companies providing policies at cheap rates to enable the less well off to provide for funeral, sickness expenses or injuries suffered at work