The Liberal Reforms

Question 1

When and how was the Liberal Party formed?

Answer 1

It was formed in 1859 from a mixture of different groups; the peel items, the independent radicals, the nonconformist and chartists.

Question 2

What was New Liberalism?

Answer 2

Putting more emphasis on collective responsibility, New Liberalism was a new way of thinking that encouraged economic reform to create welfare states, as well as greater government intervention in all lives, which would be funded by increased taxation of the rich to fund the poor.

Question 3

What was traditional Liberalism?

Answer 3

Traditional liberalism preached strict controls on spending to concentrate on cheap, efficient administration and minimal state intervention. It placed emphasis on individual responsibility, so people would use their own efforts to prosper.

Question 4

Who was the issue of social reform left to?

Answer 4

Campbell-Bannerman’s successor, Asquith, the new chancellor, Lloyd George and the new president of the Board of Trade, Winston Churchill.

Question 5

When did Henry-Campbell Bannerman die/how?

Answer 5

Suffering from ill-health the prime minister died in 1908, he achieved little in welfare reform.

Question 6

What were the 4 reasons for social reforms?

Answer 6

Influence of New Liberalism, The nature of British society and studies on poverty, National efficiency and the impact of the Boer war.

Question 7

Explain the New Liberalism’s influence on introducing social reforms.
(Members)

Answer 7

There were New Liberals within the party, such as David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill, who replaced the earlier ideology apparent in members like Gladstone, who believed people had their own responsibility and had to earn the right to vote through acts of civil service.

Question 8

What did New Liberalism’s emphasise?

Answer 8

It emphasised social reforms like old-age pensions and unemployment insurance, believing that true individual freedom required government action to ensure equal opportunities.

Question 9

Explain the New Liberalism’s influence on introducing social reforms.
(Popularity)

Answer 9

The ideology of new Liberalism was growing in popularity at a rapid rate following Booth and Rowntree’s studies, meaning that the government had to appeal to the people’s beliefs by acting on them effectively and embracing the ideology as a party if they really wanted to stay in power.

Question 10

Explain how Booth and Rowntree’s studies influenced the introduction of liberal reforms.

Answer 10

The government could no longer ignore the issue of poverty. With clear evidence highlighting the extent of people’s struggles, reforms needed to be made and they needed to be based off reasonings found in the studies. The Liberals needed to make people happy in the belief that they were genuine in their attempts to help, otherwise they would lose votes.

Question 11

What was the name of Charles’ Booth’s famous study / when were the volumes published?

Answer 11

‘Life and Labour of the People of London’ , he published several volumes of this between 1889-1903.

Question 12

What did ‘Life and Labour of the People of London’ show?

Answer 12

He made detailed coloured maps that highlighted levels of poverty, his studies found that 35% of people in London were living in abject poverty; as a result of factors such as illness, old age, irregular employment and low wages.

Question 13

Describe Rowntree’s research.

Answer 13

Rowntree’s survey in York, beginning in 1901 consisted of 46,000 people, approximately 2/3 of the population. His preliminary findings found that over 20,000 people in the city were living in poverty, due to a lack of food, fuel and clothing to maintain basic health. This was labelled as ‘primary poverty’.

Answer 14

Rowntree’s survey in York, beginning in 1901 consisted of 46,000 people, approximately 2/3 of the population.

Question 15

What did Rowntree’s studies provide evidence of?

Answer 15

Rowntree’s studies provided statistical evidence for genuine moral concern of the poor, stating that contradictory to popular belief preached by the previous Conservative Government, illness and old age were greater causes of poverty than idleness and moral weakness.

Question 16

By 1902, what did the term ‘national efficiency’ show?

Answer 16

By 1902, national efficiency reflected the belief that Britain needed to focus on the promotion of greater welfare and health for the poor, particularly children.

Question 17

How were concerns about Germany linked to National efficiency?

Answer 17

There were growing concerns that Germany were overtaking Britain commercially and militarily, this needed to be tackled with better education, management and a greater knowledge of science and technology. The health of the nation, due to the standard of living, was reflected in Britain’s army, threatening every aspect of British structure.

Question 18

How did national efficiency effect the Liberal reforms?

Answer 18

The Liberals needed to introduce reforms that would enhance the country’s economic competitiveness, the belief was that a more equitable society would lead to greater national strength and stability.

Question 19

What % of military recruits were declared unfit for service in the Boer War?

Answer 19

40%

Question 20

How many men in Manchester had been turned away from fighting and why?

Answer 20

8,000 of the 11,000 men who had been recruited were turned away due to poor physical conditions

Question 21

When was the Boer War?

Answer 21

1899-1902

Question 22

How did the Boer War influence social reforms?

Answer 22

The war underscored the importance of a healthy, fit and nourished workforce in maintaining Britain’s power. The Liberal government recognised that social reforms were necessary to ensure the nation could produce fit citizens in case there was a need.

Question 23

When was The Education (Provision of Meals) Act?

Answer 23

1906

Question 24

What act helped identify the influence of Labour in driving reforms?

Answer 24

The Education (Provision of Meals) Act 1906

Question 25

How did Fred Jowett introduce The Education (Provision of Meals) Act?

Answer 25

Fred Jowett, a Labour MP, argued that if the state insisted on compulsory education, it should take on the responsibility of proper nourishment for pupils, following a report published by Booth in 1889 declaring that 50,000 school children were “in want of food”.

Question 26

What did The Education (Provision of Meals) Act do?

Answer 26

It gave local authorities the power to provide free school meals for poor children, funded by an additional half rate in the pound. However, it wasn’t until 1911 that it was made compulsory, meaning that only 1/3 children actually benefited.

Question 27

When was the Education Act introduced?

Answer 27

1907

Question 28

What was the Education Act?

Answer 28

The act gave compulsory medical inspections in school, performed by a qualified doctor. This helped spread the realisation that the government needed to improve and minor the health of its future generations.

Question 29

What were the limitations of the Education Act 1907?

Answer 29

Due to a lack of funding, doctors were only able to provide a diagnosis, without a remedy or treatment, meaning that little could be done to actually solve the issue at hand.

Question 30

When was the Children’s Act?

Answer 30

1908

Question 31

What did the Children’s Act do?

Answer 31

The act made parental neglect, illegal, and provided child allowances of 10 pound per year per child for the poorest families after 1909. It was also made illegal to sell tobacco and alcohol to children, which was seen as a major achievement for the Liberals.

Question 32

Why did the Liberals focus on education and young people in their reforms?

Answer 32

They believed that a well-educated workforce would lead to greater productivity and innovation while reducing class inequalities. It was seen as crucial for political stability and national cohesion, addressing social issues like child labor and poverty.

Question 33

When were Old Age Pensions introduced ?

Answer 33

1908

Question 34

When was the Old Age Pensions Act passed?

Answer 34

1909

Question 35

What was the Old Age Pensions Act?

Answer 35

The act gave those over 70 5 shillings per week. However, there were restrictions on this; they had to have an annual income of less than 21 pounds. You also couldn’t receive a pension if you had been to prison in the last 10 years, not worked regularly or claimed poor relief in the last year.

Question 36

What were the issues with the Old Age Pensions Act?

Answer 36

-Not many people lived up to the age required to receive these benefits -50 pound yearly was not considered enough to cover half the living wage

Question 37

How many claimants were there for the Old Age Pensions Act in 1914? How much did this cost the government?

Answer 37

In 1914, there were 970,000 claimants, which cost the government 12 million a year. Yet, in comparison to the money spent on battleships, it was not as generous as it seemed.

Question 38

What did the number of claimants for Old Age Pensions suggest?

Answer 38

The 970,000 claimants suggested the extent of the severe need which had been previously unmet before the introduction of the pensions.

Question 39

What was the significance of the Old Age Pensions Act?

Answer 39

It provided for the first UK state pensions, financed out of central taxation and is often regarded as one of the foundations of modern social welfare within the UK. It was a significant step in the right direction compared to the previous ‘Laissez-faire’ attitudes of the government.

Question 40

What were public opinions on the Old Age Pensions?

Answer 40

People believed that if the government were to help the elderly, they were obliged to help the sick and poor also, this demand was expected almost immediately.

Question 41

To what extent was the Old Age Pensions Act introduced due to political considerations?

Answer 41

After the Lib-Lab pact, Labour were influential in the reforms introduced between 1906-14, as Labour appealed to the working class, who were more likely to vote than the Liberal target audience of the poorest. Labour argued that the Liberals needed to be more radical in order to maintain their support and therefore the working class’ support.

Question 43

When was the Trade Disputes Act?

Answer 43

1906

Question 44

What was the Trade Disputes Act 1906?

Answer 44

The Act reversed the Taff Vale Judgement of 1901, re-providing trade unions with immunity from liability for damages or profit loss created as a result of strike action.

Question 45

How did the Trade Disputes Act highlight the influence of Labour?

Answer 45

The Act was seen as direct evidence of Labour’s influence in government, as Labour rejected the proposition of only partial protection, insisting on full immunity when discussed.

Question 46

When was the National Insurance Act?

Answer 46

1911

Question 47

How was the National Insurance Act split?

Answer 47

Health insurance and Unemployment insurance.

Question 48

How did the National Insurance give health insurance provision?

Answer 48

The following was made available to those earning less than 160 pound a year, aged between 16-60 -Workers were given sickness benefits of 10s for 13 weeks, then 5s for the 13 weeks after that -Free medical treatment for tuberculosis -Maternity grant of 30s

Question 50

How many were insured for the sickness benefits of by 1913?

Answer 50

15 million

Question 51

How did the National Insurance Act provide unemployment insurance?

Answer 51

The Act aimed to support workers who could not find long-term stable employment, mainly for those in construction trades, offering 7s/w for up to 15 weeks.

Question 52

How was the Unemployment insurance under the National Insurance Act paid for?

Answer 52

It was paid for by weekly contributions of 2s 1/2 d from employers, workers and the government.

Question 53

By 1913, how many were insured for unemployment under the National Insurance Act 1911?

Answer 53

2.3 million

Question 54

What were some people’s reactions to the National Insurance Act?

Answer 54

The press attached the government and claimed it was theft from workers, as they believed workers would have gained more from an imposed state plan than they would their own private insurance.

Question 55

How did Henry-Campbell Bannerman’s resignation mark a shift in reforms?

Answer 55

Henry’s resignation marked a turning point in the pace of reform under the Liberals, previously only benefiting young people and their education. The first 2 years in office for the Liberals provided the bedrocks for further reforms and bettered the understanding of poverty throughout the country.

Question 56

What were the successes of the Liberal reforms?

Answer 56

-increase in the number of children receiving free school meals, 3 million in 1906, 14 million in 1914 -helped some of the elderly from falling below the poverty line with 970,000 claimants to Old Age Pensions -By 1913, 15 million were insured for the sickness benefits of under the National Insurance Act 1911 -Rowntree’s follow up survey in 1936 found that 3.3% lived in primary poverty, compared to the 9.9% in 1902

Question 57

What were the limitations of the Liberal reforms?

Answer 57

Financial restrictions meant that reforms could not reach their full intended purpose, for example in the 1907 education act, with doctors not being able to provide a cure only diagnosis’s.

Question 58

What was Labour’s view on the National Insurance Act of 1911?

Answer 58

Labour criticised it as workers had to fund their own benefits from already low wages. Also, they believed in radical reform, and believed the reform did not go far enough and should be paid for by increased taxation on the rich.