social policy and change in the IWYs

Question 1

governments of the iwys were sucessful in offering solutions to the social problems of the iwys’ asess the validity of this view.

context and judgement?

Answer 1

Context:the iwys achieved the ‘skeleton of a welfare state’ but it was insufficient and didnt improve problems e.g the ‘intractible million’- (pigou) which remained a persistent problem. Mass structural unemployment with regional disparities.
Judgement: they were ineffective, they were on an ad hoc basis and there is very little evidence for policy makers doing them for an overall strategy to reduce the social problems of the iwys. Dlg was unable to create a ‘home fit for heroes’ and this can be attributed to war debt; both geddes axe and the may committee illustrated the consequences for social policy.

Question 2

argument for govt handling problem of unemployment well:

Answer 2

1918 ropa removed the disqualification from voting that had attatched to relief
Paid benefit to uninsured woreer for 6 months and
Benefit to an uninsured worker, subject to a eans test carried out by PACs, public action committees.
Number of people who received relied increased from 150k to 500k

Unemployment rose steeply so the unemployment insurance act 1922 passed
Extended the period of assistance, inc. the rate from 20s a week
Designed for those who had not made NI contributions or who had exhausted them through unemployment
They had to prove they were looking for employment and it was means tested

Question 3

argument against govt handling the problem of Unemployment well

Answer 3

1918 ROPA: many of he problems in the 1911 act carried over;
Did not insure the children, or dependants of the worker
The bma estimated a family of 5 would need 23s a week EXCLUDING RENT but a family would only get 30s a week
Both workers and employers were frustrated and unwilling to make contributions so by 1918, fewer than 4m workers out of the 14m were insured

within a year, the unemployed fund was in deficit and unemployment worsened. Means test was undignifiied and unpopular
Nearly 800k applicants were denied benefits bc they were not making a ‘reasonable effort’

Question 4

argument for govt handling housing well