Transcript Document

How effectively did the Liberal Government
(1906 – 1914) deal with the problem of
poverty?
Pick out the keywords in the question.
Note the
timescale
How effectively did the Liberal Government (1906 – 1914)
deal with the problem of poverty?
Type of Question
•Analysis of how well the
government tackled the
problem as opposed to just
what they did
Issue
•Extent of poverty
•Implications for
government policy
•Actions taken
Draw up a basic plan
•
Identify extent of poverty i.e. definition of
poverty and evidence of poverty (Booth,
Rowntree)
•
Set out the aims of government (‘national
efficiency’, political considerations,
social justice)
•
Analysis of main areas tackled
•
Child poverty
•
Old Age
•
Provisions for wage earners
•
Indirect measures
Quote
Context/Question
A popular view of the Liberal reforms (1906-1914) has
been to view them as tackling the problem of poverty by
laying the foundation of the welfare state. However, this
is a view which many historians have challenged. Marwick
has characterised them as falling within “a limited fillingthe-gaps tradition bearing no more than the faintest
distant relationship to the idea of a comprehensive welfare
state”. Undoubtedly the reforms were revolutionary for
the time and were seen as such. However there is evidence
to suggest that they were less than successful at tackling
the major problem of poverty in early twentieth century
Britain. Measures to help the old, the young and the
unemployed did have a positive effect on people’s lives and
reduced poverty, as did legislation such as the 1911
Parliament Act. However, the scale of the task to reduce
poverty was a considerable one.
Line of argument
Link sentence
Extent of poverty
•Booth’s concept of the poverty line and Rowntree’s
ideas of Primary/Secondary poverty
•In the late 1800s, an estimated 30% of all
Londoners were in poverty and only 3% of these
families were being helped by the Poor Law.
•In York, Rowntree found that 27.3% of people
were in poverty in 1899.
•By the early 20th century it was recognised that
laissez faire was failing and casual labour, poor pay
and unemployment were keeping large numbers of
the ‘deserving’ poor in poverty.
Aims of government
•Concerns over national efficiency due to poor
physical condition of many of the working classes
(e.g. 50% of Boer War recruits rejected on health
grounds).
•Rise of Labour Party threatened the political
strength of the Liberals if the concerns of the
working classes were not addressed.
•Ideals of social justice developed and New
Liberalism believed that only the state could tackle
the most severe social problems.
Analysis of main areas tackled
What did the Liberals do?
How effective was this?
CHILD POVERTY
•1906 Free school meals
•By 1914, 14 million
meals were provided in
total (1906 = 3 million)
•However, less than half
of all local authorities
provided meals in 1912
•1907 Compulsory
medical inspection of all
schoolchildren
•Detected a great deal
of medical problems e.g.
in Glasgow, 30% of
children were found to
be “verminous”
What did the Liberals do?
How effective was this?
1907 Medical Inspections
•Although grants were
being given to some local
authorities by 1912, there
was no compulsion to treat
the health problems found.
(continued)
OLD AGE
•1908 Old Age
pensions introduced for
those over 70.
•By 1914, nearly a million
people were receiving it.
•Amount awarded (5s in
1909) was below
Rowntree’s poverty line.
• Affected a very small
proportion of people and
could be withheld in
‘undeserving’ cases.
What did the Liberals do?
How effective was this?
WAGE EARNERS
•1911 National Insurance
Act
Part I – Sickness and
Disability
Workers, employers and
the state contributed.
•Compulsory for all earning
under £160 a year.
Benefits payable for
sickness, disablement and
maternity.
•Did not cover death of
the insured worker or
hospital treatment.
•Workers families not
eligible for treatment.
What did the liberals do?
How effective was this?
•1911 National Insurance
Act
Part II – Unemployment
Workers, employers and
state contributed
•Only 2.3 million workers
covered.
7 shillings a week paid to
those out of work
•Only compulsory in
cyclical trades e.g.
shipbuilding
•Benefit limited to 15
weeks out of every year.
What did the Liberals do?
How effective was this?
•1909 Labour Exchanges
set up
•413 set up by 1913
•1909 Trade Boards Act
•Employers in ‘sweated
trades’ were prosecuted
for paying less than the
Boards minimum wage.
INDIRECT MEASURES
•1911 Parliament Act
•3000 people found work
this way every day by
1914
•1909 budget drawn up to
tax wealthy Conservative
landowners and fund social
reforms was carried
forward.
What did the Liberals do?
How effective was it?
•1911 Parliament Act
(continued)
•After 1911, The Lords
could not interfere with a
money bill or bills passed
3 times by the Commons
This left the Liberals
capable of pursuing more
reforms e.g. National
Insurance
Conclusion
The liberal reforms were effective in relieving a
great deal of poverty and established the
cornerstones of the modern welfare state
(provision for old age, sickness and unemployment)?
OR
….were they limited in scope, failing to deal with
key poverty issues such as housing and education
and having only a limited effect on poverty in early
twentieth century Britain?