The Conservatives 1900-1914

Question 1

What is the context of the Boer war?

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

How is the Boer war related to National Efficiency?

Answer 2

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.

Question 3

What were the conditions of the Boer war?

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

Why did the government face criticism for the Boer war?

Answer 4

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.

Question 5

What is the evaluation of the Boer war?

Answer 5

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.

Question 6

What was Chinese slavery?

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

What is the evaluation of Chinese slavery?

Answer 7

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.

Question 8

What is the Taff Vale decision 1901?

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

What are the consequences of the Taff Vale case?

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

What is picketing?

Answer 10

Strikers stationing themselves at the gates of the factory or workplace so as to deter other workers from entering.

Question 11

What is the Education Act 1902?

Answer 11

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).

Question 12

Why did the Anglicans and Non-Conformists oppose the Education Act?

Answer 12

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.

Question 13

What is the evaluation of the Education Act?

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

What is the Licensing Act 1904?

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

Why did the Non-conformists oppose the Licensing act?

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

What is the Irish Land Act 1902?

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

What was the response to Wyndam’s Act?

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

What is Imperial Preference?

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

What were Joseph Chamberlain’s motives for tariff reform?

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

What were the problems with Tariff Reform?

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

How was Tariff Reform made a national issue?

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

What was the reorganisation of the military?

Answer 22

They replaced the Commander in Chief with the Committee of Imperial Defence.
They organised the Navy into fleets - this started the Dread Nought Programme.

Question 23

What was the Unemployed Workmen Act 1905?

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

Who was the Conservative Party in 1900s?

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

Who were the Liberal party in the 1900s?

Answer 25

Led by Henry Campbell Bannerman.
Key members were Henry Asquith and David Lloyd George.
Were prepared to introduce moderate social reform.
Non-conformist religous groups.
‘Little Englanders’ didn’t believe in the Empire.

Question 26

What were the results of the 1900 General election?

Answer 26

Conservatives won with 402 seats.
The Liberals won 184.
The Irish Nationalists 82.
The newly created Labour party won 2 seats.

Question 27

What were the Conservatives beliefs?

Answer 27

They believed in some social reform, in part to secure the votes of the working and lower middle class voters.
Anti home rule for Ireland - this caused a split in the Liberal party, with the Liberal unionists joining the Conservatives.

Question 28

Who was A.J. Balfour?

Answer 28

Capable politician and well-respected.
Could always see both sides of the argument and liked to govern by consensus - this made him look weak and indecisive at times.
Poor manager of men.
Aloof, appeared unsympathetic. 
Strongly anti home rule.

Question 29

Was Balfour responsible for the fall of the Conservatives in 1906?

Answer 29

He knew that any tax on food was a vote loser.
Perhaps he should have reined Chamberlain in and took control of the issue - though this would’ve been very difficult.
Balfour should have discussed Tariff reform in the party first before the country.
Balfour was in favour of relatiory taxes but wasn’t clear or decisive - helping to divide the conservatives.
Free traders didn’t trust Balfour.
Even when legislation was positive or constructive it wasn’t well managed.
Balfour didn’t respond to Taff Vale or Chinese Slavery.

Question 30

What was Balfour’s resignation?

Answer 30

He resigned as prime minister in December 1905, advising the king to dissolve parliament, knowing this would cause the Liberals to form an unprepared interim government.
He intended to play on the ‘divisions’ of the Liberals over Home Rule, and be either unable to form a government or be so divided that they would hand back government to the Conservatives, and so win the election.

Question 31

What was the failure of the actions of the resignation?

Answer 31

The Liberals were not actually disunited like he believed.
Campbell Bannerman enthusiastically accepted office and formed a loyal cabinet.
He then confidentally called an immediate general election, campaigning on free trade.
Apart from Joseph Chamberlain, few protectionists could put up a convincing case for tariff reform.

Question 32

What were the results of the 1906 general election?

Answer 32

Conservatives won 157 seats.
Liberals won with 400 seats.
Labour had 30 seats.
Irish Nationalists had 83 seats.

Question 33

How did the Conservatives interfere in Home Rule?

Answer 33

By 1912, the Conservative’s oppostion to home rule was well established.
Bonar Law said ‘I can imagine no length of resistance to which Ulster can go in which I would not be prepared to support them’.

Question 34

What effect did Conservative interference have?

Answer 34

It gave the Ulster Unionists confidence to defy the government.
It gave the conservatives something to attack the government with.
This made it difficult for the government to deal with events.
The conservatives were defying the law and believed that opposition to home rule would increase their popularity.

Question 35

What was wrong with the wait and see policy?

Answer 35

The Unionists suggested the government aren’t in control - Asquith is weak and indecisive.
The Conservatives take a position of strength - saying they’ll support Ulster no matter what.
While Asquith is waiting, Ireland is on the brink of civil war - the Curragh mutiny.

Question 36

Why were the Conservatives to blame for the problems of Home Rule?

Answer 36

Bonar Law was using Ireland and Home Rule as a way to attack the Liberals.
He gave his full support to the Ulster Unionists.
They acted against a bill passed by the government.

Question 37

Why was the Home rule question so hard to resolve?

Answer 37

Instransigence from the Nationalists and the Unionists.
The Liberals were on the side of Home Rule, but many wanted a separate decision for Ulster.
Most of the people of Britain wanted Ireland to be a union.
The Conservatives made it harder to resolve.