Success Of Labour Reforms

Question 1

Intro background

Answer 1

1. In 1945 Labour won a landslide victory in the first post war general election, making them the new government
2. Berrifge report published on 1st of December 1942 with the idea behind the report being that Britain faces “five giants”

Question 2

Want

Answer 2

1. Labour gov introduced the national assistance act 1948 this was for the people who fell through the social security net, including those unable to pay national insurance providing them with financial assistance to stop them falling into poverty
2. They also introduced the national insurance act 1948, which was an extension of the NIA 1911 brought by the liberals, this act covered sickness unemployment benefits as well as pensions if made it for all adults and employees to join this new insurance scheme
   A - all adults equal and their whole life
   A+ - rate of benefits quickly became low as benefits didn’t increase annually but every 5 years
   Ev - successful 1.6 million people applied for these means tested benefits

Question 3

Ignorance

Answer 3

1. Education act 1944 also created a 3 tier secondary education system including grammar school, technical school and secondary modern school it was decided what school a child would go to by the 11+ test separating them by ability
2. Education act 1940 which made secondary education compulsory until 15 and every school was to provide meals, milk and medical services
   A - improves kids health and saves parents money
   A+ - after 1947 most working class left school at 15 with few paper qualifications
   Ev - Labour destroyed around 20% of school building to have build 1,176 new schools by 1950s

Question 4

Disease

Answer 4

1. National health service 1946 meant that hospitals and hospital care was nationalised and British was divided into larger more manageable health boards
2. NHS act 1946 also provided free access to treatment from doctors, dentists, opticians and hospitals
   A - working class healthcare could then work
   A+ - by 1950 the NHS cut £385 million and had to backtrack and charge for spectacles and glasses
   Ev - rc birch stated that the nhs was arguably “ the greatest single achievement in the story of the welfare state”

Question 5

Squalor

Answer 5

1. The Labour gov introduced the new towns act of 1946 which led the plan for 25 new towns to be built
2. Labour gov also put together a house building programme in March 1945 with a white paper promising a home for every family that’s wanted one, this called for between 3 and 4 million homes to be built
   A - quality houses
   A+ quality over quantity wasn’t enough housing
   Ev - huge improvement for many new houses has gas and electricity and separate bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens

Question 6

Factors in this essay

Answer 6

1. Want
2. Ignorance
3. Disease
4. Squalor