Why did the Liberals pass reforms targetting poverty?

Question 1

In 1906 the Liberal Party were elected to government with a massive majority of the votes. How many votes was it?

Answer 1

365 seats

Question 2

Henry Campbell-Bannerman was the new PM as of 1905. What was within his new government?

Answer 2

A small group of committed New Liberals who wanted to improve the conditions of the poor.

Question 3

What did poverty mean in Victorian society?

Answer 3

Low wages, overcrowded living conditions, poor health and a lack of food.

Question 4

The government believed in “Laissez-faire”. What did this mean?

Answer 4

This was the belief that the state (government) should not interfere in the lives of their people.

Question 5

What was a common belief held about poor people?

Answer 5

That if a person was poor, it was their fault for not working hard enough.

Question 6

In 1834, the Poor Law Amendment Act set up what?

Answer 6

Workhouses in England and Wales

Question 7

What did the Poor Law of 1845 set up?

Answer 7

Workhouses, better known as Poorhouses in Scotland.

Question 8

How were poorhouses/workhouses paid for?

Answer 8

They were paid for by local taxation and run by the local parish.

Question 9

What were poorhouses/workhouses used for?

Answer 9

They were places poor people could go to if they could no longer support themselves.

Question 10

What were conditions inside workhouses/poorhouses like?

Answer 10

They were miserable, and deliberately made worse than life outside so that a person would have to be absolutely desperate to ask for a place here. Inmates would spend their days doing tedious work such as sowing, bone crushing and stone crushing.

Question 11

By the late 19th century, how were workhouses starting to be viewed?

Answer 11

They were starting to be viewed as inhumane by some people

Question 12

Who was Charles Booth (Booth/Rowntree)

Answer 12

A London business who investigated East London to prove poverty estimates (a quarter of the population) that lived in poverty was exaggerated.

Question 13

When was Booth’s findings published? (Booth/Rowntree)

Answer 13

In 1889 with results which showed that 35% of London’s population lived in extreme poverty. His findings were used as an argument that poverty was such a big problem that only the government could solve it.

Question 14

Who was Seebohm Rowntree? (Booth/Rowntree)

Answer 14

A York businessman associated with Rowntree’s Chocolate factory. Inspired by the work of Booth and wanted to see if similar levels of poverty existed in York.

Question 15

When did Rowntree publish his findings (Booth/Rowntree)?

Answer 15

In 1901 after 2 years of findings. These showed that 30% York’s population was also living in extreme poverty. He found out that if York had these levels of poverty, other cities would too.

Question 16

What is a positive of the reports of Booth and Rowntree?

Answer 16

The reports of Booth and Rowntree proved that no matter how hard people tried, they could not lift themselves out of poverty for a number of reasons.

Question 17

What is a second positive of the reports of Booth and Rowntree?

Answer 17

They clearly stated that the problem of poverty was so extensive that only state intervention could solve it.

Question 18

What is a negative of Booth and Rowntree?

Answer 18

The reports only investigated 2 cities. Critics could argue these weren’t representative of the whole country.

Question 19

In 1899, what war was Britain involved in? (National Security)

Answer 19

The Boer War (1899-1901) which involved fighting in South Africa.

Question 20

What did the government have to do due to the small size of the British army? (National Security)

Answer 20

They had to recruit soldiers from the public to fight. Unfortunately, nearly 25% of soldiers were rejected on health grounds.

Question 21

What happened to soldiers who were rejected? (National Security)

Answer 21

They were deemed physically unfit to serve in the army and this was put down to poverty

Question 22

How many British soldiers did it take to beat how many Boer farmers? (National Security)

Answer 22

-450,000 soldiers
-350,000 farmers
This was put down to the poor state of the soldiers

Question 23

Why were the British public worried about the poor state of the soldiers? (National Security)

Answer 23

Because they were worried about how Britain would be able to defend itself in future wars, and especially because tension was increasing throughout Europe in the lead up to WW1.

Question 24

In England and Ireland, an Interdepartmental Committee on Physical Deterioration was created, and in Scotland a Royal Commission was created. What did these committees do? (National Security)

Answer 24

Investigate the problem of poor health, with their reports being published in 1904 and it was said that the only way to improve health was to keep a healthy diet and living conditions. They also recommended free school meals and medical examinations for school children.

Question 25

What is a positive of National Security?

Answer 25

The ability to protect the country would have undoubtedly motivated the government to take action against poverty.

Question 26

What is a second positive of National Security?

Answer 26

The first reforms passed by the Liberals introduced free school meals and medical inspections which was the recommendation of poor health. Proves they took national security concerns seriously.

Question 27

What is a negative of National Security?

Answer 27

The scale of the problem of National Security would have been difficult to address.

Question 28

What is a second negative of National Security?

Answer 28

Improving the lives of children would not have an immediate effect on the health of the general problem.

Question 29

What is a third negative of National Security?

Answer 29

The Liberals did not pass these reforms for years after the Boer War. Shows that these might not have been a primary motivation.

Question 30

There was an increasing realisation that poverty limited people’s choices, and what else? (New Liberalism)

Answer 30

They could not get themselves out of poverty, which led to the development of New Liberalism. Many party members argued that state intervention was the only solution for helping people achieve better life choices.

Question 31

Who were 2 influential and important New Liberals? (New Liberalism)

Answer 31

Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George, who were promoted to important roles in 1908 when Asquith became Prime Minister

Question 32

What is a positive of New Liberals?

Answer 32

If the Liberal party wanted to survive as a political force they needed to pass reforms which would keep the electorate happy. If they did not, they likely would not get vote into parliament again.

Question 33

What is a second positive of New Liberals?

Answer 33

The appointment of Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George would have meant New Liberals would get more attention

Question 34

What is a negative of New Liberals?

Answer 34

The very definition of Liberalism was “least interference into the lives of the public as possible” passing reforms went against this

Question 35

What is a second negative of New Liberals?

Answer 35

Old liberals believed poverty was a person’s own fault. Henry Campbell Bannerman was an “Old Liberal” which could have seriously inhibited the Liberal Party’s ability to pass reforms designed to tackle poverty.

Question 36

What is a third negative of New Liberals?

Answer 36

In the election manifesto of 1905, nothing was said about social reforms being passed or poverty being tackled. This proves there was no immediate intention to tackle poverty.

Question 37

In 1884 more working class men were given the vote. Why did the newly formed Labour party appeal to them? (Threat from Labour)

Answer 37

Because they promised to make changes that would improve their working and living conditions.

Question 38

What is a positive of the Threat from Labour?

Answer 38

The promises of a new political party would have been very appealing to those struggling from the worst effects of poverty.

Question 39

What is a second positive of the Threat from Labour?

Answer 39

Some argue that favouring New Liberalism within the Liberal party was a response to the threat from Labour. After all, they may have lost working class votes to them.

Question 40

What is a negative of the Threat from Labour?

Answer 40

As the Labour party was a new party, there was no guarantee that they would fulfil their promises Therefore, they may not have posed much of a threat to the Liberal party prompting them to pass reform.

Question 41

What is a second negative of the Threat from Labour?

Answer 41

Liberalism had been changing long before the formation of the Labour party in 1900. The idea that poverty was a person’s fault was becoming increasingly ridiculous and the party was adapting to this. Implies Labour was not seen as a massive threat.

Question 42

How did Municipal Socialism get its name? (Municipal Socialism)

Answer 42

Because the wealthy people tended to pay for the majority of the reforms while the poorest benefitted the most

Question 43

What were local (municipal) and national governments doing from 1850 onwards? (Municipal Socialism)

Answer 43

Increasingly passing reforms which affected the lives of ordinary people. These reforms were being paid for by local taxation.

Question 44

What are two examples of acts that were passed? (Municipal Socialism)

Answer 44

The Factory Acts and the Public Health Acts

Question 45

In Birmingham, many public facilities were improved thanks to Municipal Socialism. What is an example of this? (Municipal Socialism)

Answer 45

Joseph Chamberlain (Liberal mayor) improved the water supply as previously it had been polluted with sewage. He paid for this with taxation, and also cleared away many slums.

Question 46

What other facilities were improved by Municipal Socialism? (Municipal Socialism)

Answer 46

Public parks

Question 47

What is a positive of Municipal Socialism?

Answer 47

Kerr and McGonigle argue that Municipal Socialism acted as a setting scene for the Liberal party reforms. No doubt they took inspiration from the good work already being done by local authorities.

Question 48

What is a negative of Municipal Socialism?

Answer 48

Many richer people would have resented the high levels of taxation and would have possibly considered voting for the conservatives who were generally opposed to increased levels of taxation.

Question 49

What is a second negative of Municipal Socialism?

Answer 49

Chamberlain left the new house building to the private sector and many tenants could not afford the rents.