2: state of economy BRT

Question 1

what were the main staple industries in Britain 1914

Answer 1

textiles, steel, coal and shipbuilding

Question 2

what percentage of exports came from staple industries in 1913

Answer 2

60%

Question 3

what were the main industrial areas which produced the staples

Answer 3

coal mines in south wales, northern England and scotland

Question 4

what had allowed Britain to lead in staple industries throughout the 19th century

Answer 4

it was the first country to have an industrial revolution

Question 5

which countries were seen as a threat to britains dominant position in staple industries 1913

Answer 5

Germany and USA

Question 6

between when was Britain key shipbuilding nation

Answer 6

1870-WW2

Question 7

why was there little worry about Germany and USA making faster progress in staple industry

Answer 7

britains output of iron and steel continued to increase and Germany and USA had considerable advantages over britain

Question 8

what advantages did Germany and USA have over Britain in staple industries

Answer 8

more access to raw materials and larger home markets

Question 9

which other staple industries grew

Answer 9

coal industry continued to be profitable

cotton trade maintained strong exports

Question 10

3 most prominent new industries

Answer 10

electronic engineering, chemical and motor vehicle production

Question 11

what was new industry growth like in comparison to economy

Answer 11

were expanding faster than economy as a whole: 3.8% compared with 2% overall

Question 12

how many people were working in agriculture by 1850

Answer 12

2 million

Question 13

how many people working in agriculture by 1901

Answer 13

1,400,000

Question 14

why had number of agricultural workers fallen by 1901

Answer 14

mechanisation

more imported food eaten

Question 15

how much did farming account for employment, national income and national investment

Answer 15

10% 1906-1914

Question 16

how was most british land arranged

Answer 16

in large estates let out to tenant farmers

Question 17

how did tenant farmers gain profit

Answer 17

selling what they produced

Question 18

how did landlords respond to agricultural prices lowering in the 1870s

Answer 18

lowered rents as farmers gained less from selling their products

Question 19

why did some landowners invest more capital in their land mid19th cent

Answer 19

to get higher production in hope of more profit

Question 20

why did many businessmen buy large estates

Answer 20

had more money than traditional farmers- wanted to gain social status as country gentlemen

Question 21

why did farmers have to change their focus of production by 1914

Answer 21

agricultural depression late 19th cent and competition from abroad

Question 22

what did farmers change their focus of production to by 1914

Answer 22

dairy farming and beef cattle

Question 23

why was dairy farming and beef cattle more profitable than arable crops

Answer 23

crops vulnerable to overseas competition

Question 24

what made britain leading trading nation in 19th century

Answer 24

• 30% goods and services produced in britain sold abroad
• 25% of world trade was Britain’s
• dominated worlds shipping

Question 25

how did invisible exports continue to grow in 20th century

Answer 25

- world leader in banking, investment and insurance - London remained commercial centre of the world - reliability of bank of England encouraged many foreigners to invest in british enterprises

Question 26

what did britains earnings from invisible exports help to ensure

Answer 26

britain maintained healthy balance of payments despite value of imports rising and value of exports declining

Question 27

what percentage of total national wealth was in investment overseas by 1913

Answer 27

32%

Question 28

what occurred between 1870-1914 that became known as the late Victorian recession

Answer 28

- britain overtaken by Germany and America in iron and steel output - rate of industrial growth less than USA - share of worlds exports declined - imports grew faster than exports- trade gap - former workshop of world? now imported manufactured goods

Question 29

what did the late Victorian recession case industrialists and politicians to raise questions about

Answer 29

standards in education, free trade policy and failures of industry to adapt quickly enough to new technologies and ways of working

Question 30

why was britain struggling to keep the lead in cheap textiles, iron and steel

Answer 30

they invested few resources into researching new methods of improving the production of these goods than america

Question 31

what was the reason for the lack of innovation

Answer 31

industries were so established in britain, factory and plant equipment was less modern than that of its rivals and so changing was an expensive option

Question 32

how were coal mines lagging behind

Answer 32

they were labour intensive as oppose to mechanical methods overseas

Question 33

who had britain fallen behind in 1900 and in what industries

Answer 33

America and Germany- steel | America- coal

Question 34

why were manufacturing areas also failing

Answer 34

firms failed to develop the organisational skills and techniques necessary for the type of mass production seen by the USA

Question 35

evidence of lack of progress in new industries

Answer 35

- german chemical industry 2x size of british 1913 - british army used german dyes for uniforms - large scale development of electrification for tramway's and factories began 10 years after usa

Question 36

why did America have a high wage economy

Answer 36

workers were paid enough to buy the goods they produced high demand and encouraged production

Question 37

what was the problem with britains low wage economy

Answer 37

only rich and middle class could afford new manufactured goods- small domestic market

Question 38

how did Germany and USA keep their domestic markets free from competition

Answer 38

used tariffs

Question 39

what did liberals free trade policy mean

Answer 39

foreign traders had easy access to british markets and britain could not bargain with other countries to reduce their tariffs

Question 40

what did concerns over economic decline lead to the fear of

Answer 40

- workers not learning sufficient skills in schools | - britain not producing enough qualified inventors and designers and technicians

Question 41

evidence to prove britain was behind in education

Answer 41

usa and Prussia (n Germany) introduced primary education for all in early 10th cent britain only did 1870-1881`

Question 42

how were steamships and railways a problem

Answer 42

grain from north American prairies sold more cheaply than british farmers could produce it and farmers forced to reduce their production

Question 43

refrigerated ships in 1880s meant...

Answer 43

cheap meat could be brought from aus, nz and south america

Question 44

staple industries profitable and in some areas...

Answer 44

increasing production

Question 45

what did it mean to Britain that world trade was expanding rapidly

Answer 45

British goods were selling in greater quantities than before in absolute terms

Question 46

how did London remain the commercial centre of the world

Answer 46

its dominance was unchallenged

Question 47

what did invisible earnings help to compensate for

Answer 47

the growing trade gap between visible exports and imports

Question 48

what did cheaper imports of cereals mean for livestock farmers

Answer 48

cheaper foodstuffs

Question 49

home demand for which products within agriculture remained strogn

Answer 49

fresh milk and high-quality meat

Question 50

what did the census of 1911 show

Answer 50

increase in number of farm labourers

Question 51

what did the availability of cheaper food mean

Answer 51

the value of wags was consistently rising in real terms