Higher History Britain: Context 5 The Successes of the Liberal Reforms

1. Higher HistoryBritain: Context 5The Successes of the Liberal Reforms Key Q: How successful were the Liberal reforms of 1906-14? An assessment essay

2. We are learning to… Assess the impact on the British public of the Liberal Welfare Reforms between 1906 and 1914. I can… Build up notes on the topic Plan a 22 mark essay Evaluate whether the reforms actually helped the poor.

3. Two types of Essay Assessment essay Evaluation essay Evaluate the significance of factors. What was more important in ……. i.e. Women gaining the vote (CA, gists/gettes, WW1) Motives of LR (B&R, NE/S, LP, NL, MS) Evaluation – overall what was most significant factor. • An assessment of the effectiveness of different factors. • How effective were the Liberal Reforms in meeting the needs of the British public? • How fully did the Liberal Reforms meet the needs of the British public? • Evaluation– overall were they effective or not.

5. Background (for intro) • Between 1906 and 1914 the Liberal government introduced a series of Welfare reforms designed to help the needs of the British people. • There were many motives for introducing these reforms such as the Social Surveys of Booth and Rowntree which shocked the nation and showed 1/3rd of Brits were living in poverty. • Fears over national security were also important as there were fears that Britain’s young men were not physically able to win a war and war with Germany was looking more and more likely. • The Liberal reforms were designed to help those who needed it the most (young/old/sick/unemployed) in the country as opposed to establishing a comprehensive welfare state. • The reforms were a ‘first step’ in providing government assistance to British people.

6. How successful were the Liberal Reforms 1906-1914? • Historians debate how well the Liberal government’s reforms were actually able to meet the needs of the British people. • Some believe they provided much needed assistance to the poorest in society and helped a great deal. • However other historians say that some social issues were ignored and the Liberal reforms made little difference to the people of Britain.

7. Who were the Liberal Reforms designed to help?‘The Factors’ 1. The Young 2. The Old 3. The Sick 4. The Workers The Unemployed The Employed

8. A and A+ in an assessment essay Knowledge (K) = Name, date and description of a reform (law). Analysis (A) = Giving one success OR limitation of the reform Analysis + (A+) = combining a success with a limitation e.g. “On the one hand free school meals were a success because needy pupils were now receiving one nutritious meal per day and it allowed them to learn without the distraction of hunger however on the other hand it was not compulsory to give the free school meals and only 1/3rd of authorities were issuing the meals in 1911”

9. The Young • The young were vulnerable because they were born in to poverty and it was no fault of their own. • They were a concern to the government because, if the young were not fit and healthy, the security of Britain's army and industry could not compete with the fitter and healthier German youth.

10. The Young Free School Meals: Knowledge In 1906 The Liberals passed the School Meals Act. Local Authorities were permitted to tax people in order to provide one free meal per day on schooldays.

11. Free School Meals: Analysis • This was a success because it meant that needy pupils were now receiving one nutritious meal per day and it allowed them to learn without the distraction of hunger(success) • By 1914, 14 million schoolchildren in Britain’s schools were being fed each week (success)

12. Free School Meals: Analysis • However, the provision of school meals was not compulsory for all local authorities and in 1911, less than 1/3rd of local authorities were providing the meals(Limitation) • Also, poorer schoolchildren were still not being fed during school holidays or at weekends so the effects were limited (Limitation)

13. 1. The Young Medical Inspections: Knowledge • In 1907 The Liberals passed the Medical Inspections Act • This made medical inspections in school compulsory and a child would have at least three during their school career.

14. Medical Inspections: Analysis • This was a success because it helped diagnose killer illnesses in children such as rickets and TB (success) • Some children would not have been taken to the doctors ever, because it was too expensive, so this was the first time they would have been checked (success) • The Act helped parents slightly as advice was provided to parents of ill children about how they could treat the illness(success)

15. Medical Inspections: Analysis • However, the inspection was free but the treatment was not so most poor parents were not able to actually afford the treatment or medication (Limitation) • Free medical treatment was not given until 1912 so the effects of the act were limited until then and even in 1912, local authorities still ignored the reform (Limitation)

16. The Young Children's Charter: Knowledge In 1908 The Children’s Act brought together and formalised law which protected children and was designed to help prevent neglect. The Children's Charter stated what the legal rights of children were and ensured that they were treated differently from adults under the law. • Juvenile courts & prisons were established. • Death Penalty abolished for children • Children under 16 were banned from smoking, drinking alcohol or begging. • Took responsibility for children who were abused or abandoned. If children were not cared for by their parents, the government should care for them. • Introduced inspections of children's homes.

17. Children’s Charter: Analysis • This was a success because it was the first time vulnerable young people were protected by the law as during Victorian times there was no such protection(success) • However, The Act was difficult to enforce and many children continued to beg and smoke publically and nothing was done (limitation)

18. Evaluation – The Young • Line of Argument – It was an important first step away from laissez faire but their were so many limitations that it cannot be describes as fully meeting the needs of the young. • Those who benefited from free school meals and treatments after medical inspections were greatly helped but local government uptake was too small, at roughly 1/3rd by 1914, that it cannot be argued that the needs of the young in Britain were met.

19. The Old • The Old were vulnerable because they could no longer work. This was obviously no fault of their own and it was not dignified for them to spend their last years in the Poorhouse. • Booth & Rowntree identified that old age was one of the most vulnerable times to live in poverty.

20. 2.The Old Old Age Pensions: Knowledge In 1908 the Old Age Pensions Act provided a small pension for those aged 70+ • This provided a weekly pension of 5 shillings at full rate for a single person, 7 shillings 6d for a married couple. • People with savings received less so this amount varied.

21. Pensions: Analysis The pension was a great success and was very popular with 970,000 old people benefitting from it by 1914 (success) It was collected from the post office so removed the stigma that the poorhouse used to bring. (success) For many older people it did make life slightly more bearable financially and helped some older people from falling below the poverty line (success)

22. Pensions: Analysis However, Seebohm Rowntree had identified the poverty line of being the bare minimum needed to survive and the pension fell short of this (limitation) Another limitation was that life expectancy in some industrial slums was in the mid-40s so few people lived long enough to claim the pension at 70 (limitation) Demand was higher than expected. The cost was estimated at £6.5 million, but the actual cost was £8 million. This meant the government had to find the extra money from other reforms (limitation)

23. Evaluation – The Old • Line of Argument – Again, this showed a positive step away from old liberals idea that poverty was the fault of the individual and the government recognised that there was a deserving poor, none less than the old who had worked their whole life. • However, there were too many stipulations such as the good character clause*, that stopped anyone who had been guilty of drunkenness, prisons or avoiding work, and the age of 70 (Labour had suggested 65)* which meant the act did not truly meet the needs of the old. *New Evidence

24. The Sick • It was realised that people were sometimes ill through no fault of their own. Growing up in poverty and being underfed as a youth led to unhealthy adults. • The government realised they needed to support workers who were ill or the poorhouse would only make them sicker. • David Lloyd Georges father died young of pneumonia leaving his mother to raise him in poverty (New Liberal ideas/sympathy)

25. 3.The Sick National Insurance Part 1: Knowledge In 1911 The National Insurance Act Part 1 created a system of health insurance for workers (i.e. sick pay) • The worker paid 4p per week, the employer 3p and the government 2p ‘ninepence for fourpence’ • The worker received 10shillings per week when off work sick, for 13 weeks then a lower rate was paid for the next 13 weeks

26. National Insurance (pt1) Analysis • The NI Act helped people because absence through work through sickness was a major cause of poverty therefore any money coming in during sickness would help a family in need (success) • The worker also received some health benefits such as doctor appointments and medication to prevent them from falling ill. (success)

27. National Insurance pt 1: Analysis The act was limited in its success because only the insured worker received benefits like medical treatment, they did not extend to the worker’s family (limitation) They were further limited because the benefits were limited to a period of only 26 weeks; many workers were ill for longer than this(limitation) Many historians have also argued that paying the contributions of 4p per week may have actually led to further poverty in some families as it was effectively a wage cut (limitation)

28. Sick - Evaluation • Line of Argument – helped workers who were off work sick and gave them valuable time of 26 weeks which avoided the poorhouse. However, cannot truly be seen as meeting the needs of the sick as only the workers were covered by the benefits and treatments, not their family. • Furthermore, the success of this act must take into consideration the backlash it received from the workers. Although 15 million workers benefited*, many more resented the act as they did not like losing 4d each week out of an already small wage. Therefore it can be argued that It don’t not fully meet the needs of the British public.

29. The Unemployed • The Unemployed were clearly a vulnerable group as they did not receive an income to support their family. Before they would have to look to charities or the poorhouse for support. • The government began to realise that they could help workers find work and that in order to fund these new reforms they needed as many of the population working as possible to contribute to national insurance schemes.

30. The Unemployed National Insurance Part 2: Knowledge In 1911 The National Insurance Act Part 2 was an unemployment insurance scheme • Insured workers received 7 shillings per week whilst unemployed for 15 weeks per year • The benefits were paid at newly opened Labour exchanges which provided unemployed workers with information on local job vacancies

31. Labour Exchanges 1909 • Labour exchanges (essentially job centres) were set up to help workers find employment. • A more efficient method of finding employment than queuing up outside factory doors. • Employers provided information about vacancies, workers would register and detail their skills, experience and jobs they could do.

32. Unemployed: Analysis National Insurance Act Pt2 helped workers who worked in industries with periods of unemployment (cyclical industries like shipbuilding). This showed the government acknowledged that unemployment was not always the fault of the individual (success) Labour exchanges were helpful to unemployed people because prior to these, many men did not know where to go to find work when out of a job (success) By 1913 over 430 were set up around the country, around 3000 men a day were finding work through exchanges (success)

33. Unemployment : Analysis+ • The act only benefited certain trades who experienced unemployment regularly. Millions of workers did not qualify as their trades were not covered. (limitations) • Labour Exchanges were met with criticism by Trade Unions for only offering cheap, unskilled labour and short term work. (limitations) • Of the 3000 a day that were being employed it could quite possible be the same men gaining new short term contracts. (limitations)

34. Unemployed Evaluation • Line of Argument – Again, this was a huge step away from laissez faire and the idea that the poor were poor through laziness or wasting their money. The govt. recognised unemployment was not always the fault of the individual. • Although this was a good attitude change, the national insurance act (part 2) and Labour exchanges did very little to tackle the root cause of unemployment and did not find workers long term permanent work*. Therefore it cannot be considered to meet the needs of the unemployed. *New Evidence

35. The Workers 1906 Workman’s Compensation Act – extended compensation to cover an addition 6million workers injured at work 1908 Miner’s 8 hour day – limited hours spent underground for miners 1911 Shops Act – limited working hours for shop assistants and guaranteed a half day off

36. Main Liberal Reforms (you need to know majority of these for your 6/6 for K) • 1906 Free School Meals – 14 million per week being issued by 1914. • 1907 Medical Inspections Act – medical inspections given at school • 1908 Children’s Charter – set out laws to protect Children i.e. restrictions on alcohol • 1908 Old Age Pensions – 5s per week for those 70+ (1/4 average wage). • 1909 Labour Exchanges – set up centres for unemployed workers to find employment • 1911 National Insurance I – sickness benefit for poorer workers – e.g. paid for doctor and medicine. • 1911 National Insurance II – gave unemployment insurance to half a million poorly paid workers or those in seasonal employment.

37. Some views which might help with your analysis/ evaluation • The liberal reforms eased the problem of poverty for the young, sick, unemployed & old • Based on the scale of poverty the government faced they did as well as they could have • The threat of war from Germany meant that the government had the expense of preparing for war to deal with too • The liberal reforms helped change the attitudes of people towards helping the less fortunate • The reforms were the first big change away from ‘laissez-faire’ towards an interventionist model

38. Many workers were unimpressed by the reforms as they reduced their ‘take-home’ wage. • Other aspects of poverty like poor housing were completely ignored by the reforms. • The Liberals did not create a ‘welfare state’. • They created a ‘halfway house’ between laissez faire and a welfare state. • Winston Churchill said that the nature of the reforms was that ‘if we see a drowning man we do not drag him to the shore. Instead we provide help to allow him to swim to shore’.

39. Evaluation Examples • Upon evaluation, young people were helped the most by the Liberal Reforms as there were a greater number of reforms put in place for them which improved their health and protected them from the law and those changes from the law in the Children's Charter applied to all children, rich or poor. • Upon evaluation, workers were helped the least because the reforms that concerned them most, National Insurance 1 & 2, required them to pay into them and were compulsory meaning that they had to contribute financially to them and lost money but the young and old reforms were not contributory.

40. Evaluation+ Examples • Upon evaluation, the needs of the workers were met more than those of the young because workers were covered by both health and unemployment insurance for which helped give them an income during two difficult times in their life however children would still be subject to poverty if their families experienced unemployment or illness as there was no financial benefit that extended to them specifically and instead the majority of their benefit from the reforms was reliant on their parents sending them to school, paying for medical treatment and looking after them properly which didn’t always happen.

41. Essay Questions • The Liberal Reforms successes is an example of an assessment essay – this means the SQA expect you to know about changes in the law and assess how successful each was i.e. know the successes & limitations • The good thing about these questions is the structure of the essay never changes! Always young-old-workers Example essay questions • ‘The Liberal Reforms of 1906-14 failed to meet the needs of the British people’. Discuss. • How effectively did the Liberal Reforms of 1906-14 meet the needs of the British people? • Discuss the view that the Liberal Reforms fully met the needs of the British people 1906-14.

42. Example essay To what extent did the liberal Reforms 1906-1914 meet the needs of the British people? 22 marks The answer never changes You should always argue they met the needs of the British people to an extent. i.e. in some ways but not others

43. Introduction – B.A.T Background (2/3 sentences – describe motives for reform/ background to reforms) Between 1906 and 1914 the Liberals introduced a series of social reforms. Although they had not promised this in their manifesto many factors such as ……(B&R)……(national security)….. led to them attempting to improve conditions for the poor. Topics (what are the factors in the essay?) The Liberal Reforms were designed to help the most vulnerable groups who were most at risk of poverty– the young (why), the old (why?) the sick (why?) & the unemployed (why?) Argument (what will you be arguing in terms of how successful they were?) It can be argued that the Liberal Reforms took important steps to meet the needs of the British people but only to an extent.

44. Conclusion – balance, argument, support • In conclusion, the Liberal Reforms met the needs of the British people to an extent. • On the one hand… (you should take one side of the argument here and explain i.e. in what ways were the reforms successful? What group benefited most…) • On the other hand… (now you should do the same with the other side of the argument i.e in what ways were they limited. What group benefited least….) • Overall, the Liberal reforms… (here you should decide whether YOU believe they were largely successful or unsuccessful and give 2 reasons why, which should finish off by making your view very clear.) *SUPPORTED BY 2 ARGUMENTS/EVIDENCE*

45. Successes of Liberal Reforms Essay Due – Friday 28th September Success Criteria • LoA – met needs only to a extent, not fully. • Good knowledge of the acts – names, dates, details • Successes and Limitations of the acts. • Evaluation of whether each groups needs were met.