Labour Reforms (15) Flashcards
Intro
-under his leadership committee identified 5 key problems (the giants) that prevented individuals overcoming poverty/improving conditions
Factors: disease, want, squalor, ignorance, idleness
LOA: dealt with social problems to moderate extent
Para 1
Factor: Want
KU: National Insurance Act - aimed to extend social security by providing unemployment, sick, maternity, widows & pension benefits, funded through weekly payments by employee, employer & government
A: ensured all workers contributed weekly which allowed access to state assistance when needed
KU: National Assistance Act - provided financial help for those not covered by National Insurance
A: replaced outdated & discredited poor law system, significant in helping tackle poverty
Para 2
Factor: Ignorance
KU: Education Act of 1944 - made education free & compulsory till 15
KU: introduced tripartite system, dived schools, grammar, secondary modern & technical schools, based on exam result at age 11
A: children guided to right education system and help for them rather than general school for all
A+: strengthened class divisions, grammar provided high quality education, secondary modern often fewer resources & limited opportunities leaving many working class children at disadvantage
EV: helped create more access to education, only raised school leaving age to 15 rather than suggested 16, limited education for many
Para 3
Factor: Squalor
KU: housing crisis after blitz, New Towns Act - created more towns providing better housing for working class families, 1million homes built pre designed & included rent protection
A: able to meet immediate demand & were protected from exploitation
A+: housing shortage still critical, many families remained struggling in overcrowded housing
EV: helped limit housing crisis, prioritised building council houses over slum clearance, left many poor quality areas untouched and left alone
Para 4
Factor: Idleness
KU: Labour aimed to maintain high employment level, saw work as essential in reducing poverty/boosting economy, govt took control over key industries e.g. coal, steel, gas, electricity & railways
A: secure stable employment & improve working conditions
A+: some industries remained inefficient & costly leading to criticisms that nationalism didn’t automatically improve economic productivity
Conclusion
Want: significant progress in reducing poverty, unable to completely rid of it
Ignorance: improved education access, didn’t fully eliminate inequalities
Squalor: relieved some housing problems, unable to resolve issue of squalor
Idleness: largely productive in reducing unemployment, financial pressure continued for many
