How effective were the liberal government reforms

How effective were the Liberal Government Reforms?

Areas needing Reforms The Liberal Government identified 4 main areas needing reform: Children 2. Old People 3. Health 4. Unemployment 1.

Between 1906-1914, ‘New Liberals’ attempted to improve these areas However there is much debate as to how successful the Liberals were in achieving these aims

Before we go any further‌ We need to have a clear definition of poverty, as it was seen during the 19th/early 20th Century Booth and Rowntree: Those who had insufficient funds to obtain the minimum necessities for the maintenance of physical efficiency Rowntree said that if a family earned under 7s a week then they should be considered as living in poverty

Children

• 1906 – Education (provision of Meals) Act •

Free School Meals

•

Medical Inspections Act

• 1907 – Education (Administrative Provisions) Act

1906 Free Schools Meal Act – How Effective was it?

What did it do?

At the end of 1906, 3 million children were provided with a school meal By 1914, 14 million meals were provided in total meaning many children getting at least one good meal a day Help them concentrate in school

The Government paid 50% of the scheme

The local authority paid for the rest

But‌ Not compulsory: by 1912 under half local had set up a school meals service.

What’s the Verdict?

A step in the right direction, provided millions with a good daily meal but not far reaching enough

1907 Medical Inspections Act – How Effective was it?

What did it do?

Detected a great deal of medical problems e.g. in Glasgow, 30% of children were found to be “verminous” Grants were given to some local authorities.

But…

It was not compulsory for visiting medical staff to treat the health problems Parents were not happy to be told that their child had failed the inspection

What’s the Verdict?

Shows that the government was willing to contribute towards the health care of the nation but makes no attempts to treat patients.

Old Age

1908 – The Old Age Pensions Act

Pensions – How Effective were they?

What did it do?

By 1914, nearly a million people were receiving it.

Pensions were paid from public funds and they were non contributory You didn’t have to pay into them in order to benefit from it

But… Gave 5s in 1909 This was below Rowntree’s poverty line

Affected a very small proportion of people and could be withheld in ‘undeserving’ cases Criticised by Labour Party as ‘mean and inadequate’

What’s your Verdict?

Sickness

• 1911 National

Insurance Act. •

Part I – Sickness and Disability.

1911 National Insurance Act Part I – How Effective was it?

What did it do?

Compulsory for all earning under £160 per year. Benefitted 10 million 9d for 4d was seen as a good thing.

Free doctors care was offered.

Maternity grants of 30 shillings.

10s a week sickness benefit

But… 10s per week for 26 weeks, then 5 shillings for 70 weeks so no cover for the long term sick or disabled Did not cover death of the insured worker or hospital treatment Workers families not eligible for treatment

What’s your Verdict?

Unemployment • 1911 National

Insurance Act. •

Part 2 Unemployment Benefits

1911 National Insurance Act Part II – How Effective was it?

What did it do?

Workers, employers and state contributed 7 shillings a week paid to those out of work

But‌

Only compulsory in some trades e.g. shipbuilding

Benefit limited to 15 weeks out of every year.

What’s your Verdict?

What else did the Liberals do?

1909 Labour Exchanges set up

1909 Trade Boards Act

1911 Parliament Act

How effective was this?

413 set up by 1913 3000 people found work this way every day by 1914 Employers in ‘sweated trades’ were prosecuted for paying less than the Boards minimum wage.

Reduced the power of the House of Lords and made‘the Commons’ supreme in fiscal/taxation policy

Historians disagree on the importance of the Reforms. Professor Arthur Marwick has said that the Liberal reforms had “no more than the faintest relationship to the idea of a comprehensive welfare state�. At the time however, the reforms were seen as marking a major change in social policy

Conclusion The Liberal reforms were effective in relieving a great deal of poverty and established the foundations of the modern welfare state-fully developed by the Labour Government of 1945-51

OR The Liberal reforms were limited in scope, failing to deal with key causes of poverty such as housing and education and having only a limited effect on poverty in early twentieth century Britain.