OCR History - Liberal Reforms

Charities

• Gave money, clothes, food and shelter.
• 700-800 in London 1905.
• Children live by begging and stealing, die from starvation and disease.
• Dr. Barnados children's homes help children suffering in poverty.

Poverty

• Belief = people responsible for their own poverty.
• 'Poor Law' offered help, but seen as giving up and was disliked.
• People save wages, and dread sickness, unemployment and retirement - elderly ok, but only if they have relatives too look after them.
• No hope of better times.

Poor Law

• Workhouse provides work and shelter, but dreaded. 
• Those helped by the Poor Law seen as a 'pauper', shame and disgrace.
• Outdoor relief provided help outisde the workhouse, e.g. money.

Salvation Army

• William and Catherine Booth
• Think poverty is beyond people's control.
• Christian groups preach, turn prostitutes and criminals from sin, give soup and bread. Salvation army = different, as went to the poor, members were like an army, wore a uniform and had brass bands.
• 1900 = own training centres, labour exchange, farms and a brickworks - jobs give people a sense of purpose.

Charles Booth

• From family of wealthy shipowners, moved to London.
• Conducted survey - 25% in poverty in London - team of investigators look at living conditions, income and spending of 4,000 people.
• Causes = 85% due to unemployment and low wages - not their own fault.
• Made circles of poverty - centre = those 

Seebohm Rowntree

• York chocolate manufacturers and quakers.
• Influenced by Charles Booth.
• Survey showed that 28% in poverty in York.
• Primary poverty = not own fault, nothing they can do = 10%.
• Secondary poverty = can just about feed and clothe themselves, could fall into pirmary poverty at any time = 18%.
• Made primary poverty line = likely to fall into poverty during childhood, marriage with a young family, and in old age.

Liberal Party

• Come into power 1906. David Lloyd George and Churchill = 'New Liberals' - challenge ideas, know that poverty is not the fault of the poor, think state have a duty to provide security and freedom.
• End of 1800s = local authorities (often Liberal) provide clean water, sewers, lighting, clean streets - show what can be done locally and nationally.

Labour Party

• 1900s = want to close gap between rich and poor, and improve working and living conditions. Rivals of Liberal Party.

Boer War

• 1899, men rejected from army as unfit. 2/3 fail the medical.
• Germany and USA in a better position, and are far more efficient - Britain need reforms to compete, and improve their national efficiency. 

Rowntree and Booth

• Their studies are read by many people.
• Their studies also influenced politicians.

Children

• Free school meals 1906 = paid from local rates, used by 158,000 by 1914.
• School Medical Inspections 1907 = free, compulsory, treatment had to be paid for until 1912.
• Children's At 1908 = makes children protected persons:
  • Parents can be prosecuted for cruelty, authorities responsible for supervising.
  • Children's homes were registered.
  • Children under 14 not allowed in adult prisons, borstals set up for young offenders, juvenile courts set up.
  • Under 14s not allowed in pubs, no cigarettes allowed to under 16s.

Sick and Unemployed

• Labour Exchanges Act 1909 = people can look for jobs more efficiently.
• National Insurance Act I 1911 = prevents poverty by illness: 
  • Can draw money out if ill. 
  • Compulsory for maual and low paid jobs. 
  • Paid 4d for stamps on a card, government gave 2d, employers gave 3d. 
  • Sick pay = 10s a week, for 13 weeks, 5 s for an additional 13 weeks. 
  • Free medical treatment and maternity care.
  • 10 mil men and 4 mil women covered.
• National Insurance Act II 1912 = prevents poverty from unemployment:
  • Mainly men in seasonal unemployment e.g. shipbuilding, engineering.
  • Workers pay 2d as do employers and government, for insurance stamps.
  • Paid 7s 6d when unemployed, for a total of 15 weeks. 

Elderly

• Pensions Act 1908 = weekly fund from the government.
  • For over 70's.
  • 5s a week for a single person.
  • 7s6d (later increased to 10s) for a couple.

Change

• People no longer to blame for their own poverty.
• Reforms = a break with the past, Liberals attacked the causes of poverty, the poor can lead decent lives.

Surveys

• 1935-6, Rowntree repeats survey of York. 6.8% now in primary poverty, compared to 15.5 in 1899.

Opposition

• David Lloyd George pays for taxes by taxing the rich:
  • Liberal House of Commons vote for the pensions.
  • House of Lords = rich Conservatives with a laissez-faire attitude, so vote against the pensions.
  • Only passed when the King threatens to put more Liberals in the House of Lords
• Some historians think the reforms were just a economic move to improve Britain's workforce.
• Others think that the reforms were the beginning of the welfare state. 

Not All Were Helped

• Pensions = only 1/2 mil qualified as:
  • Had to be 70+.
  • Had to have had an income below £21 - more earned = lower pensions.
  • Be British citizens - have live in Britain for 20 years.
  • Not been in prison 10 years bfore the pension.
  • Hadn't failed to work.
• National Insurance = only 10 mil men and 4 mil women qaulified  as:
  • Incomes less that £160 a year.
  • Only seasonal employment.
  • Only covered those who paid, not dependants.
  • Run by local councils.
• The Poor Law = should have been reformed or abolished, but instead remained for another 20 years.