Labour would not have Labour would not have grown powerful without the grown powerful without the First World War. First World War. How far do you agree with How far do you agree with this statement?this statement?

Friday 16Friday 16thth September September

How successful were How successful were the Liberal reforms?the Liberal reforms?

What?What? An evaluation of the Liberal An evaluation of the Liberal ReformsReforms

Why?Why? The Reforms have been seen The Reforms have been seen as the birth of the Welfare state. Were as the birth of the Welfare state. Were

they really?they really?

Was it a welfare state?Was it a welfare state?

What is a Welfare state? Be What is a Welfare state? Be ready with a definition of thisready with a definition of this

The idea of comprehensive The idea of comprehensive social services and social social services and social security provisionsecurity provision

Past paper essay Past paper essay questionsquestions

How far were the reports on poverty produced by Booth and How far were the reports on poverty produced by Booth and Rowntree responsible for the Liberal social reforms of 1906-Rowntree responsible for the Liberal social reforms of 1906-

1914? (2005)1914? (2005)

To what extent did the social reforms of the Liberal To what extent did the social reforms of the Liberal government (1906-1914) improve the lives of the British government (1906-1914) improve the lives of the British

people? (2006)people? (2006)

WHY did the Liberal Government pass reforms?

Evidence of poverty (Booth and Rowntree )was

widely read. This was

inescapable evidence

Fear for Britain’s place in the

world - national security.

When potential recruits tried to join

the army for the Boer War (1899),

almost 25% were turned down

on the grounds of poor health

National Efficiency –

Britain no longer the top industrial nation. Belief that this was connected to poor health and educational standards.

Chancellor Bismarck’s social reforms were making Germans strong in comparison.

Political pragmatism –Liberals could lose votes to Labour if nothing was done to help the poor.

“New Liberals” -had new ideas on state

intervention.

Recap diagram

1906 General election1906 General election

377 seats (Tories 157, Labour 377 seats (Tories 157, Labour 29)29)

Ended long period of Tory Ended long period of Tory dominancedominance

Tories Tories lost it lost it because of Boer because of Boer War and failing education and tax War and failing education and tax systemssystems

Liberal success the result of Liberal success the result of individuals.....individuals.....

Henry Campbell BannermannHenry Campbell Bannermann

Prime Minister 1906-1908Prime Minister 1906-1908 Retired from ill-health and died a Retired from ill-health and died a

few days laterfew days later Key reformerKey reformer

Herbert AsquithHerbert Asquith

Chancellor of Exchequer 1905-Chancellor of Exchequer 1905-19081908

Prime Minister 1908-1916Prime Minister 1908-1916

David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George

Chancellor of Exchequer 1908-Chancellor of Exchequer 1908-19151915

Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill

Left Conservatives in 1904Left Conservatives in 1904 Home secretary 1910-1911Home secretary 1910-1911 Lord of Admiralty 1911-1915Lord of Admiralty 1911-1915

Edward GreyEdward Grey

Foreign Secretary 1905-1916Foreign Secretary 1905-1916 Longest continuous holding of Longest continuous holding of

office in British Historyoffice in British History

Their reformsTheir reforms

This section is about their This section is about their reforms.reforms.

There is little value in simply There is little value in simply reciting the reforms in an essay.reciting the reforms in an essay.

You need to be able to explain You need to be able to explain how and why this form of Liberal how and why this form of Liberal welfarism was different from the welfarism was different from the ideas of Laissez Faire.ideas of Laissez Faire.

What were the reforms about?What were the reforms about?

Aimed at helping people who Aimed at helping people who faced poverty through no fault of faced poverty through no fault of their own:their own:

YoungYoung people people OldOld people people SickSick people people UnemployedUnemployed people people

Reform areaReform area ReformsReforms SuccessSuccess FailureFailure

YoungYoung 1906 - Free school 1906 - Free school meals for young meals for young people…people…

Old Old

SickSick

UnemployedUnemployed

OtherOther

YoungYoung

1906 - Free school meals for 1906 - Free school meals for young peopleyoung people

1907 – School medical 1907 – School medical inspections startedinspections started

1908 – juvenile courts / borstals 1908 – juvenile courts / borstals startedstarted

Children’s charter restricted the Children’s charter restricted the sale of alcohol and cigarettessale of alcohol and cigarettes

How effective were these How effective were these reforms?reforms? Research showed that growth of poor Research showed that growth of poor

children slowed during school holidays.children slowed during school holidays. This showed that school meals were an This showed that school meals were an

important part of health of poor children.important part of health of poor children.

Medical inspections did little to solve any Medical inspections did little to solve any problems discoveredproblems discovered

Attempts to protect children from smoking Attempts to protect children from smoking and alcohol had limited success.and alcohol had limited success.

OldOld

1908 – government started 1908 – government started paying 5 shillings (25p) per paying 5 shillings (25p) per week to people over 70 who had week to people over 70 who had a current income of up to £21 a current income of up to £21 per yearper year

A married couple got 37.5p each A married couple got 37.5p each weekweek

Less pension given to higher Less pension given to higher earnersearners

How effective were these How effective were these reforms?reforms? Providing pensions is the basis of a Providing pensions is the basis of a

Welfare state.Welfare state. But remember, Rowntree calculated But remember, Rowntree calculated

a poverty line for an individual to be a poverty line for an individual to be 35p a week.35p a week.

Old age pensions therefore helped Old age pensions therefore helped the elderly but did not solve old age the elderly but did not solve old age povertypoverty

Many elderly people needed help Many elderly people needed help long before they reached 70 and long before they reached 70 and most died before receiving a most died before receiving a pension.pension.

SickSick

There was no free National Health There was no free National Health Service at the timeService at the time

The poor could not usually afford The poor could not usually afford treatmenttreatment

1911 National Insurance Act gave 1911 National Insurance Act gave some medical benefitssome medical benefits

Every worker contributed 4p per Every worker contributed 4p per week towards medical helpweek towards medical help

Every employer then added 3p and Every employer then added 3p and the government added 2p per week.the government added 2p per week.

Called ‘nine-pence for four-pence’Called ‘nine-pence for four-pence’

How effective were these How effective were these reforms?reforms? Illness and absence from work were Illness and absence from work were

a major cause of poverty. So money a major cause of poverty. So money coming in as ‘sick pay’ did help coming in as ‘sick pay’ did help families in hard times.families in hard times.

However, only the insured worker However, only the insured worker got free medical treatment from a got free medical treatment from a doctor.doctor.

Other family members did not benefit Other family members did not benefit from the scheme, no matter how sick from the scheme, no matter how sick they were.they were.

UnemployedUnemployed

Labour Exchanges (like today’s Labour Exchanges (like today’s job centres) were started.job centres) were started.

Part II of the NI Act dealt with Part II of the NI Act dealt with unemployment and workers paid unemployment and workers paid into the scheme and got into the scheme and got contributions from their contributions from their employers and the state. employers and the state.

How effective were these How effective were these reforms?reforms? The 1911 act only covered The 1911 act only covered

temporary unemploymenttemporary unemployment Also only applied to seven Also only applied to seven

tradestrades When unemployment increased When unemployment increased

after WW1 the system failed as after WW1 the system failed as too many people claimed benefit too many people claimed benefit and there was not enough and there was not enough money to pay out.money to pay out.

Other reforms worth notingOther reforms worth noting

You should add these if a question You should add these if a question asks about Liberal Reforms in asks about Liberal Reforms in generalgeneral

1908 miners act secured an 8 hour 1908 miners act secured an 8 hour day (first time the length of a working day (first time the length of a working day was fixed)day was fixed)

1909 Trade Boards Act protected 1909 Trade Boards Act protected ‘sweated trades’ such as tailoring. ‘sweated trades’ such as tailoring. These fixed minimum wages and These fixed minimum wages and maximum hoursmaximum hours

1911 Shops Act gave shop 1911 Shops Act gave shop assistants a weekly half day offassistants a weekly half day off

AssessmentAssessment The liberal reforms were more The liberal reforms were more

important psychologically than important psychologically than anything elseanything else

They set precedents for future reformThey set precedents for future reform They did not improve much for They did not improve much for

ordinary British citizensordinary British citizens

The idea of comprehensive social The idea of comprehensive social services and social security provisionservices and social security provision

Positves?Positves?

If we compare them against the If we compare them against the old Victorian ideas of self-help old Victorian ideas of self-help and the poor-law then the and the poor-law then the Liberal Reforms mark a Liberal Reforms mark a Giant Giant step .step .

They paved the way They paved the way towards the towards the later proposals of the welfare later proposals of the welfare state which state which WASWAS set up later in set up later in 1945-19511945-1951

Essay Question: Essay Question: Did the Liberals Did the Liberals create a Welfare state?create a Welfare state? NONO It was a transition point between old It was a transition point between old

laissez-faire attitudes and what was later laissez-faire attitudes and what was later called the Welfare statecalled the Welfare state

A change of ideas but still wanted the poor A change of ideas but still wanted the poor to help themselvesto help themselves

Liberal MP Winston Churchill “Liberal MP Winston Churchill “If we see a If we see a man drowning we do not drag him to the man drowning we do not drag him to the shore. Instead we provide help to allow him shore. Instead we provide help to allow him to swim ashore himself.”to swim ashore himself.”

The Liberals tried to help poorer sections of The Liberals tried to help poorer sections of society to help themselves.society to help themselves.

The Reforms were not always successfulThe Reforms were not always successful

TasksTasks1.1. Complete Complete allall work up to and work up to and

including page 38 including page 38

2.2. Create a table about the Liberal Create a table about the Liberal

reforms and their success. reforms and their success. Complete it using the statements on Complete it using the statements on page 39page 39

3.3. Copy the diagram on page 39 and Copy the diagram on page 39 and add detail to it using the textbook add detail to it using the textbook pages 48 to 57 as well as slide 1.pages 48 to 57 as well as slide 1.

Arguments for Arguments for the success of the success of the Liberal the Liberal ReformsReforms

Arguments Arguments against the against the success of the success of the Liberal Liberal ReformsReforms

Etc…….Etc…….

MINI ESSAYMINI ESSAY

In your opinion, were the liberal In your opinion, were the liberal reforms successful in creating reforms successful in creating a welfare state? Write a a welfare state? Write a detailed answer with evidence detailed answer with evidence to back up your argument. to back up your argument.