The Liberal Reforms:
Why were they
introduced?
What were the Liberal Reforms?
A series of welfare reforms which aimed to helped:
• Children
• Old People
• Sick people
• People who had low wages/were unemployed.
Introduction: Contexts
The liberal government came to power in 1906 with a landslide victory of 399 seats
to the 156 of the Conservatives. During their election campaign they had focussed
on their promise of free trade, yet, during their time in power, they introduced a
series of welfare reforms aimed at helping those in need.
The Liberal Party were in power from 1906 to 1914. During this time they
introduced a series of welfare reforms which were designed to provide support for
the 1/3 of Britain’s population who had been identified by Seebohm Rowntree and
Charles Booth as living in poverty.
When the Liberal Party came to power in 1906, the poverty line was at 21 shillngs
per week and around one third of British families were below this – living in
poverty. Through his study, Rowntree identified five main causes of poverty; old
age, large families, unemployment/irregular work, low wages and the death/illness
of main wage earner.
Factors
TASK:
While watching the video,
take a note of at least one
FACT for each of the
following:
• National Efficiency
• Social Awareness
• Political Advantage
By 1906 it was becoming difficult for the government
to ignore the problem.
Research findings of:
Seebohm
Rowntree
Charles Booth
The Social Surveys of Booth and Rowntree
The large surveys into British poverty conducted
by Booth and Rowntree provided the incoming
Liberal Government with detailed evidence which
had not been available to previous governments.
Charles Booth’s “Survey of Life and Labour
in London” completed in 1903, showed the
huge level of poverty in London: nearly one
third of the population.
•
17 year study in London
•
30% lived below poverty line
•
Only 3% received help from the Poor Law
Seebohm Rowntree
Poverty or bread
line= basics (home,
food, clothing)
Seebohm Rowntree’s study of working class families in York:
“Poverty: A study of Town Life” was published in 1901.It
confirmed Charles Booth’s findings that one third of Britain’s
population was living in poverty.
• York
• 30% lived below poverty line.
• A family needed £1 a week to stay above the poverty line.
Low wages
52%
Death of
main wage
earner 16%
Illness or
old age 5%
Unemployment or
irregular work 5%
Large
families
22%
Other evidence of poverty
Socialists
Social Democratic
Federation tried to make
people aware of
conditions of poor.
Writers
Reverand A. Mearns ‘The
Bitter Cry of Outcast
London’
William Booth ‘Darkest
London’
Charles Dickens ‘Oliver
Twist.
Teachers & Civil
Servants
Teachers complained to
school inspectors that
children were too hungry
to learn.
Medical officers (for local
councils) reported on poor
state of people’s health.
Analysis
• Due to increased public awareness of poverty it would seem
– perhaps - that any party in power would have been under
pressure to implement reforms for political survival.
However, can be argued that social reforms were introduced
as a result of these revelations:
1906 Free School Meals
1909 Housing Act (Although only outlined plans; no action
actually taken)
1906 – Liberal Prime Minister, Henry Campbell-Bannerman believed
in Gladstonian Laissez-Faire.
However, a growing number Liberals saw the need for change.
They had sympathy for the poor but were also worried by the
rise in support for the Labour Party. They convinced their leaders
to do more to help Britain’s poorest.
Winston Churchill
David Lloyd George
Make Poverty
History
“Don’t be afraid to take a big
step”
Analysis
• Evidence shows the move away from Laissez-faire after
the death of Campbell Bannerman and the cabinet reshuffle
– 1909 Peoples’ Budget caused a constitutional crisis. This
cemented the idea that the better off should be taxed to
help the poor.
• Number of welfare reforms increased after DLG and
Churchill brought into party – showing their influence
important.
• DLG responsible for OAPs and Churchill instrumental in
National Insurance. Both wanted to help the poor but
equally recognised political benefits i.e. more votes. Thus
suggesting that power was also important.
Analysis
• The number of non-contributory benefits such as 1908
OAPs evidence the change in political philosophy and the
extent to which they were influenced by revelations and new
liberalism.
• Other reforms also show that the new liberals had
influenced a change in liberal ideology. E.g. 1908 Children’s
Charter and 1909 Trades Board Act.
1. Threat from the Labour Party
Labour MPs
1900
2 MPs
1906
29 MPs
1910
42 MPs
Labour threatened the Liberals because in 1890, working class
men were given the vote and the majority associated with Labour –
the working man’s party.
‘The relief of poverty is always an act of power’
P. Hennock
Speech by Lloyd George to a Liberal Party meeting in Cardiff, October
1906
I warn you about the Labour Party. I warn you it will become a terrifying force
that will sweep away Liberalism. We have a Liberal Parliament, but we must
act to help the poor. We must get rid of the national disgrace of slums. We
must eliminate the widespread poverty which scars this land glittering with
wealth, otherwise the working men of Britain will vote Labour instead of
Liberal.
Analysis
• Labour was gaining support quickly. 1905 – 2 seats and
increased to 29 in 1910. Liberals required a way to regain
support from those voters.
• This is evidenced by the Lib’s introduction of the Free
School Meals Act which was originally suggested in
parliament by a Labour MP.
• Thus showing that the Lib’s were concerned that Labour had
greater appeal to the working class.
Analysis
• The Liberal majority in 1910 was only TWO seats.
• In 1907 they lost ‘safe’ seats e.g. Jarrow to Labour.
• Historians argue that this led the Liberals to introduce
pensions the following year.
• Indeed, DLG said they would only be put out of power if
they failed to deal with the problems of the people.
• On the other hand, Labour was not the only threat. Some
suggest the Liberals were also threatened by the
Conservatives.
2. Threat from the Conservative Party
The historian Morrison argues that the Conservatives posed a
bigger threat to the Liberals than Labour.
Housing Act
1890
The Conservatives
had already
introduced
reforms…
Education Act
1891
Workmen’s
compensation Act
1897/ 1900
However it is worth noting that……
If the Liberals were
concerned with
maintaining power, why
did they push through
with the
People’s Budget
(tax increases to pay
for OAP) in 1909?
The Liberals
called a General
Election in 1910they won by only
by 2 seats!!!!!
Analysis
• The 1909 Peoples’ Budget taxed the rich in order to introduce
further reforms. Surely then, if the Liberals were more
concerned about threat from Conservatives they would have
tried to attract support from the wealthy.
• Further to that, the Liberals may also have been losing support
from workers.
• Many actually objected to paying out the money for National
Insurance. They got paid very little so any deduction (regardless
of size) had detrimental consequences.
• SUGGESTS: Liberals were in fact genuinely attempting to help
those in need.
1. German Rivalry: German model of Social Welfare
- Under Bismark, Germany had already introduced Social
Reforms such as OAPs. Bismark had wanted to gain support
of working class.
- Germany’s welfare system was first in Europe.
- Politicians including DLG visited Germany & were impressed
by what they saw.
Analysis
• Evidence supports the argument that this was an important
reason because:
• The government introduced OAPs (1908) soon after Lloyd
George returned from Germany.
• Also Labour Exchanges 1909 were based on the German
model.
2. British industry threatened
- USA, Japan and Germany increasing economic competitionUSA could make steel cheaper than Britain.
- British companies worried- e.g. Cadbury
- 1905 Dundee Survey- children underweight (Children would
be the workers & soldiers of the future)
- Lord Rosebery believed in order to achieve this the
Liberals would require a “healthier and better educated
workforce” .
Analysis
• Concern over national efficiency evident as British industry
already in decline due to poor health of workers.
• To successfully compete with other nations, UK needed a
strong & effective workforce.
• Evidenced by introduction of Nat Insurance (Part 1) which
covered 17 trades e.g. mining in times of sickness. Motivated
by nat. efficiency because it gave support to workers so
they could return to work fit and capable of working to
their best.
3 – Empire (highlighted by the Boer War)
• Took 3 years for 400,000 British soldiers to defeat 35,000
Boer farmers.
• 34.6% of volunteers rejected due to ill health. 8000
rejected and only 1200 accepted in Manchester.
• Concern that UK not able to
defend its empire.
Analysis
• This shows national efficiency was an important motive
because:
• The government took steps to improve the efficiency of the
army e.g. they introduced the Territorial Reserves &
Expeditionary Force which was designed to back up the
regular army.
• The government also targeted the young with School Meals
Act and Medical Inspections – to improve health of future
soldiers.
• Thus showing that national efficiency was an important
motivation.