social reforms 1885-1914

Question 1

housing act

Answer 1

Housing of the working class act 1890
Extended the 1885 act with a provision fo councils to compulsorily purchase land for housing
Borrowed money from public works loans then charged the wc rent at market rates

Question 2

success of housing act

Answer 2

Overcrowding:
11% in 1891
8% 1892

Question 3

local govt act

Answer 3

1894 local government act
Organised counties into smaller manageable units: rural and district councils
Women became eledgibe to vote for parish councils

Question 4

sucess of local govt act

Answer 4

This gave more autonomy, allowing greater ability for local govt to make their towns and cities better
E.g birmingham under chamberlain: made improvements like the success of the artisans dwelling act

Question 5

pensions

Answer 5

OAP act 1908
Provided a non-contrbutory pension of 5s a week for 70+ with annual income of less than £21 year.
But 1. It was insufficient to raise an elderly person above the poverty line and 2. It was only available to the ‘very old,very poor and very good’
Nevertheless, remove stigma of poor law as pension was a right
No financial buden attached

Question 6

what did the royal comission on labour find?

Answer 6

Royal commission on labour 1892-5 found:
Almost 50% of the working class eaned 75p/week where the survivable rate was £1.25
But, the findings were largely ignored by sailsburys government

Question 7

three acts regarding employment

Answer 7

Factory and workshops act 1891
- women and children -11

Chamberlains workmens compensation act 1879
-injured workmen

1908 trade boards act
- minumum wage (some trades)

Question 8

education acts - 5

Answer 8

In 1891, fees for attending board schools were abolished; elementary education is virtually free

Public libraries act 1892

1902 education act (balfour)
-LEAs

1906 provisions of meals act
- FSM (comp. in 1914)

1907 health inspection

Question 9

national insurance

Answer 9

1911 national insurance act
Compulsory scheme; one part health insurance and the other unemployment insurance
Contributions:
Worker: 4s
Employer 3s
State 2s
Only covered insured trades- 15 weeks of unemployment. Healthcare NI only covered the worker; never really benefitted wives and children.

Question 10

what was the key driver of social reforms?

Answer 10

new liberalism; liberals like chamberlain began to argue for greater state intervention

Question 11

tarrif refom

Answer 11

Usa and germany imposed tariffs on imports and GB didnt
In the 1902 budget, the govt began to move away from Free trade by introduction a duty of 1s on imported wheat (help cover cost of boer war)
Chamberlain led the campaign for tariff reform in 1903- aware of the impact of foreign tariffs and argued gb tariffs could be used to finance pensions and health insurance
DLG argued for income tax over indirect tax