Liberal Reforms,
1906-1912
Why did the Liberal
Government introduce the
Welfare Reforms?
General Election 1906





In 1906 the Liberal Party won the General Election
by a massive majority.
In the lead up to the election the issue of poverty
had been the 7th most mentioned problem in
Liberal campaign speeches.
However, some politicians placed it much higher
on their list of priorities.
Such ‘promises’ are often made before an
election to win votes but are rarely put into action.
However, the Liberal government surprised many
people by embarking on the most ambitious and
extensive programme of welfare reforms ever
introduced in Britain.
Why did they introduce welfare reforms?

5 main reasons:
1.
Political rivalry and the rise of Socialism
Due to the Reform Acts of 1867 and 1884 almost
half of the electorate came from the working class.
The political parties had to attract support (voters)
from the working class to succeed.
The emergence of the Labour Party after 1900 gave
the working class a party to represent their interests.
Both the Liberals and the Conservatives had to
compete with this new party.
If the working classes were happier and healthier,
there would be less support for socialist movements
and undermine support for the new labour party.



Why did they introduce welfare reforms?
2.



Social and economic changes
The Industrial revolution had transformed
Britain. The new industrial towns created
many social problems such as poor working
conditions, poor living conditions and public
health problems.
Governments had began to introduce laws
to improve the effects of these changes e.g.
Factory Acts, Public Health Acts, Education
Acts.
The Liberal Government took this idea
further by introducing laws to improve the
standard of living.
Why did they introduce welfare reforms?
3.


Key individuals: Lloyd George and
Churchill
The Liberal Government had many
outstanding ministers who were prepared
to fight for better living conditions.
For example Lloyd George, Chancellor of
the Exchequer, who had been brought up
by a poor family in Wales. Also, Winston
Churchill felt strongly about these issues.
David Lloyd George
A young Winston Churchill (1895)
Why did they introduce welfare reforms?
4.




Self help Vs welfare state
The Poor Law was failing. In some industrial
areas unemployment was so high that the
workhouses could not cope.
The workhouses were so harsh that only the
really desperate people would enter them.
People began to realise that a better way to
deal with poverty was needed – self-help or
laissez faire was no working.
The Liberals realised it was not the fault of
the poor if they were poor and that it was the
role of the government to support the poor
when they most needed it.
Why did they introduce welfare reforms?
5.
Social Reformers: Booth and Rowntree

Towards the end of the 19th Century attitudes towards
the poor began to change. Instead of blaming the poor
for their own poverty, several writers studied to lives of
the poor and demonstrated how poverty was caused.
The most famous of these writers were Charles Booth
who wrote Life and Labour of the People in London
between 1886 and 1903, and Seebohm Rowntree, who
wrote Poverty: A Study of Town Life in 1901 about the
city of York.
They discovered that £1 a week was the minimum
income to keep a family above the ‘poverty line’.
Therefore 30% of the population were living below the
poverty line.
They also identified the causes of poverty as sickness,
old age, unemployment, low wages and large families
rather than laziness as had be thought before.



Charles Booth
Seebohm Rowntree
Why did they introduce welfare
reforms?
6.


Boer War: Need for healthy soldiers
Half the volunteers for the Boer War in
1899-1902 were unfit for service due
to ill health.
This was alarming for a government
that may need to call up a strong army
at short notice.
Why did they introduce welfare
reforms?
7.



Industrial Decline
Britain’s position as the world’s leading
industrial nation had been declining since
1870. By 1900 both Germany and the USA
had overtaken Britain.
Lloyd George believed Germany’s success
was linked closely to its healthier, bettereducated and more efficient workforce.
Britain needed a healthier workforce if it
was compete.
SUMMARY
Before 1906
Workhouses
Outdoor Relief
1906 General Election
Introduced
Welfare
Reforms
WHY?
Liberal
Government
Political rivalry
Social and economic
changes
Key individuals
Failures of self-help
Industrial decline
Need for
healthy army
Growing awareness due
to social reformers