Liberal Reforms
Motives Essay
Higher History
Essay Title

How far were the reports on
poverty produced by Booth and
Rowntree responsible for the
Liberal social reforms of 19061914?
Introduction
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In the late nineteenth century, two social surveys were produced
by Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree that highlighted the
extent of poverty in Britain. The reports challenged the idea that
poverty was self-inflicted and introduced the concept of the
‘deserving poor’. In turn, it is argued that the Liberal government
moved away from the laissez-faire attitude and introduced social
reforms between 1906 and 1914 to help the poorest sections of
society. However, it is too simplistic to attribute the passing of the
Liberal Reforms to social surveys alone. The Liberal Government
had also been encouraged to pass the Reforms in order to
improve national stock and efficiency. Recruitment for the Boer
war had highlighted the poor health of the nation, with potential
recruits being rejected on medical grounds. Fears that Britain was
declining as a world power resulted in steps being taken to
improve the quality of the workforce. In addition to humanitarian
reasons, there were also political motives for passing the
Reforms. The Liberals were aware of the potential of the new
Labour party to attract its working class voters with promises of
widespread Socialist reforms. New Liberalism involved junior
members of the Liberal party breaking with the policies of the
19th Century so appealing to the new working class voters and
increasing their standing within the party.
1. Booth and Rowntree Reports
Give some facts about findings of reports. (KU)

Can see results in legislation passed – pensions,
school meals and National Insurance Acts
helping the deserving poor.

Analysis:
- They showed how big the problem of poverty
really was, over 30%, dispelling the idea that it
was 3% and very few people were affected by it.
- Showed real causes of poverty e.g.
unemployment, old age, sickness etc. and that
most of it was not self-inflicted as society had
imagined. This was important in attacking the
idea of laissez-faire government.

Analysis points - Surveys


It was quite clear that the nation had
been shocked by the extent of poverty,
30% of the population, meant that the
new Liberal government had a mandate
to introduce some welfare measures like
free school meals, clearly out of genuine
concern for the poor.
Rowntree’s poverty line also
demonstrated that most poverty was not
self-inflicted this made the government &
public more ready to accept some welfare
reforms.
2. National Stock/Efficiency




Boer War – 1/3rd recruits rejected as unfit
Fears of Britain’s decline as a world power
Main competitor Germany had introduced
welfare reforms with positive results
In turn, led to legislation like free school
meals & school medical inspections to
improve health.
Analysis – National Efficiency
Analysis:
- Not just reports of Booth and
Rowntree that led to passing of
Reforms – fears over Britain’s
empire and trade led to efforts
being made to improve the national
stock with limited welfare reforms
copied from Germany

3. Fear of Labour Party/Socialism



Liberals was traditionally supported
by working class especially in areas
like Scotland, Wales, N England.
New Labour Party was growing and
was winning working class support
for its campaigns for social welfare
policies, such as old age pensions
and unemployment benefits.
Liberals introduced reforms based
on Labour policies e.g. old age
pensions.
Analysis – Fear of Labour/Socialism



Political motives not to lose new working
class male vote to Labour as well as
humanitarian concerns resulted in Liberal
Reforms.
Was a genuine fear of socialism, if the
Liberals did not pass some reforms then
working class voters would turn to Labour
Liberals tried to attract voters with limited
reforms e.g. pensions set at age 70 to
avoid more expensive reforms proposed
by Labour e.g. pension age set lower so
cover more of the elderly.
4. New Liberalism


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Old style Liberalism not appealing to
working class voters – e.g. focus on
Ireland, Free Trade and Empire.
New Liberal politicians like Lloyd George &
Winston Churchill had been impressed by
welfare reforms in Germany.
New Liberals also wanted to wrest control
of the party from Old Liberals who they
felt would lose support to Labour and the
Conservatives.
Analysis-New Liberalism


New Liberal politicians wanted to make a
name for themselves. By pressing for
reforms like pensions or free school meals
they would get noticed by the public and
increase their standing in the Liberal
Party.
New Liberals felt needed to introduce
limited welfare reform to help their
working class voters who in turn would
continue to vote for the Liberal Party.
Conclusion


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Answer the question first sentence=
“Clearly a combination of
humanitarian concerns and political
motives that led to reforms”.
Booth and Rowntree important –
why? Sum up main KU & analysis.
Go through each of the other
motives give main KU point only
and analysis.