The Conservatives 1900-1914 Flashcards
What is the context of the Boer war?
Began on 11th of October 1899:
Gold and diamond were discovered in Boer area, so Britain claimed territory.
Britain rejected the Transvaal Ultimatum.
Britain deliberately provoked the war, by making such unreasonable demands that the Boers had no choice but to fight.
How is the Boer war related to National Efficiency?
They had difficulty in recruiting fit, young men.
One third of the men who applied failed their medical inspections.
This raised concern about poverty in Britain, there needed to be reform.
If Britain could not recruit a small scale war, what about a large war.
1904 reports were released that free school meals and medical inspections would combat this.
What were the conditions of the Boer war?
They used concentration camps to hold civilians, where the cramped and unhygienic conditions frequently led to the spread of fatal diseases.
This caused two thirds of the deaths.
Why did the government face criticism for the Boer war?
The war was won eventually after 3 long years.
This was an embarrassment especially because the Boers were a group of outnumbered and outgunned farmers.
Arthur Balfour inherited this poor reputation of the Conservatives.
What is the evaluation of the Boer war?
The war was an embarrassment and raised concern about national efficiency. The conservatives didn't pass reform to improve this. It mainly effected working class who had little voting influence. But the Boer war, combined with all the other factors, was a significant event in the Conservatives losing the 1906 election.
What was Chinese slavery?
Large numbers - 64,000, of Chinese slaves were brought to work in indentured labour in the gold and diamond mines in south Africa.
Balfour’s government were accused of allowing this to happen.
They claimed it was not their concern.
What is the evaluation of Chinese slavery?
Can the leadership of the government be questioned? The trade unions feared the government would allow indentured labour in Britain and wages would go down. It raised the big concern that the working class needed political representation that would come in the form of the Liberals. Linked to the Taff Vale Case.
What is the Taff Vale decision 1901?
June 1900, the Taff Vale railway went on strike for higher wages with the full support of their union, the ASRS.
It was settled after 2 weeks with the workers gaining nothing but reemployment.
The Taff vale case took the ASRS to court to claim picketing was illegal.
After the strike, the company took the ASRS to the House of Lords to claim damages for the financial losses caused by the strike.
This all seemed like an attack on the working class.
What are the consequences of the Taff Vale case?
The action threatened to destroy the union's ability to effectively strike and highlighted the need for political reform. This led to the increase in trade union affiliations to the Labour party. The working class thought, if they could not strike then what could they do? They needed a political party to represent them and improve working conditions.
What is picketing?
Strikers stationing themselves at the gates of the factory or workplace so as to deter other workers from entering.
What is the Education Act 1902?
Arthur Balfour’s act:
It raised the school leaving age to 12.
Granted subsides to church schools from local rates (taxes).
Abolished the locally elected boards, and passed the authority over schools to the county of borough councils (LEA).
Why did the Anglicans and Non-Conformists oppose the Education Act?
The Anglicans were unhappy that they were losing their control over state education.
Existing Church schools became part of the system.
The Non-Conformists were offended by the fact that schools teaching Anglican faith were now receiving state funding. They complained of heresy.
Non-Conformists began to shift their support back to the Liberals, many Liberals were Non-Conformists.
What is the evaluation of the Education Act?
Positive because there was national funding for schools, which improved extended education for all.
Negative because of “Rome on the Rates”.
Liberals started to win by-elections.
What is the Licensing Act 1904?
It regulated the sale and consumption of liquor.
This was to protect children and the adulteration of alcoholic drinks (reduce poverty).
It provided generous compensation to the brewers and landlords who would lose their licenses under the new regulations.
Why did the Non-conformists oppose the Licensing act?
Attacked the clauses that compensated the brewers and landlords as they did not want the wickedness to be rewarded.
They testified that drink was a major factor in worsening the poverty of so many.
What is the Irish Land Act 1902?
Wyndham’s Act, the Irish Secretary.
An enlightened step which went a long way in finally solving the land problem in Ireland.
It made £100 million available to tenants to buy out their English landlords and thus become owners of the land which they farmed.
What was the response to Wyndam’s Act?
Ireland’s grievance, recently intensified by England’s rejection of home rule, was too deep-rooted for just one measure to end Anglo-Irish bitterness.
The Conservatives and Unionists dismissed the measure as a submission to national pressure.
This was yet another division in the Conservatives.
What is Imperial Preference?
Balfour’s government introduced a system for protecting home-produced food and manufactured goods by placing restrictive duties on imports unless they came from British dominions and colonies.
This alienated other ‘trading parties’, which led to reciprocation, they put a tariff on British goods.
What were Joseph Chamberlain’s motives for tariff reform?
To avoid social violence as a response to poverty and destitution. He didn't want to tax the people, as he feared this would lead to revolutionary socialism and class war. To stimulate the industry to create jobs, and use tax or tariffs to pay for welfare reform, as well as uniting the empire.
What were the problems with Tariff Reform?
Chamberlain resigned position in government to persue a campaign for tariff reform.
Most of the cabinet were free traders - the opposite of protectionism.
Some of the Conservatives supported Tariff Reform (protectionism).
Many only accepted it as it seemed a way of raising revenue without taxation.
There was the potential to divide over the issue.
This unified the Liberals further, and gave them a rallying point.
It alienated many working class supporters.
How was Tariff Reform made a national issue?
Ordinary people saw it as whether they could afford to feed their families.
Manufacturers and industrialists saw it as whether they could survive in a competitive trading world.
Workers felt that somehow their jobs and wages depended on it.
What was the reorganisation of the military?
They replaced the Commander in Chief with the Committee of Imperial Defence.
They organised the Navy into fleets - this started the Dread Nought Programme.
What was the Unemployed Workmen Act 1905?
It was first passed by the Conservative party in 1903 and later renewed by the Liberals in 1905.
It established Distress Committees that gave out single grants to businesses or local authorities to allow them to hire more people.
However, it excluded those with a criminal record or who had recieved poor law assistance.
Who was the Conservative Party in 1900s?
Led by Arthur Balfour.
Key members were Joseph, Neville and Austin Chamberlain. Joseph being an ex-Liberal so more radical.
Believed in lower taxes, with the Anglican Church, CofE and Protestants.
Some belived in protectionism, other free trade.
Believed in the Empire and keeping it.
