Higher History Britain The Successes of the Liberal

Higher History Britain: The Successes of the Liberal Reforms How successful were the Liberal reforms of 1906 -14? Higher: An assessment essay

We are learning to… Assess the impact of the Liberal Reforms between 1906 and 14 I can… Build up notes on the topic Plan a 20 mark essay Pass a 20 mark timed essay

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.

Let’s take this one as an example ‘The Liberal Reforms of 1906 -14 failed to meet the needs of the British people’. Discuss. 20 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

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 1/3 rd of Brits were living in poverty • Fears over national security and efficiency 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 in the country as opposed to establishing a comprehensive welfare state • The reforms were a ‘first step’ in providing government assistance to British people

How successful were the Liberal Reforms 1906 -1914? • Historians debate how well the Liberal government’s reforms were 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

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

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

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) This was a success because By 1914, 14 million schoolchildren in Britain’s schools were being fed each week (success)

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

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 1/3 rd of authorities were issuing the meals in 1911”

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

Medical Inspections: Analysis This was a success because it helped diagnose killer illnesses in children such as rickets and TB (success) This was a success because The Act helped parents slightly as Advice was provided to parents of ill children about how they could treat the illness(success)

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) However, Free medical treatment was not given until 1912 so the effects of the act were limited until then and even in 1912, local authorities ignored the reform (Limitation)

The Young Children's Charter: Knowledge In 1907 The Children’s Act brought together and formalised law which protected children and was designed to help prevent neglect. • Juvenile courts & borstals were established • Children under 16 were banned from smoking, drinking alcohol or begging

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 publicly and nothing was done (limitation)

Paragraph Plan - Young TS – The Liberals introduced reforms to help the young who were identified as one of the most vulnerable groups. K: Free School Meals – Year, detail A: This was successful because… A+: However, this reform was limited because… K: Medical Inspections Act – Year, detail A: This was successful because… A+: However, this reform was limited because… K: Children’s Charter – Year, detail A: This was successful because… A+: However, this reform was limited because… Evaluation – overall how successfully did the Liberals meet the needs of the young? Use own words/ evidence to support your judgement. Overall, the Liberal Reforms did successfully help the Young/ did not successfully help the Young/ only helped the Young to an extent because… Use new evidence Don’t repeat K/A/A

2. The Old Age Pensions: Knowledge In 1908 the Old Age Pensions Act provided a small pension for those aged 70+ • People over 70 received 5 shillings per week (25 p in today’s money) • A married couple received seven shillings and sixpence a week. This sum could be collected at the Post Office. • It was Means Tested - People who had an income greater than £ 31. 50 per year received no pension at all.

Pensions: Analysis This was a success because For many older people it did make life slightly more bearable financially and helped some older people from falling below the poverty line (success) This was a success because the pension was very popular with 970, 000 old people benefiting from it by 1914 (success) This was a success because Older people were hugely grateful for the financial help of the pension and many people cried out ‘God Bless Lloyd George’ as they collected it at the Post Office counter (success)

Pensions: Analysis However, Seebohm Rowntree had identified 35 p per week as being the bare minimum needed to survive and the pension fell short of this (limitation) However, Another limitation was that life expectancy in some industrial slums was in the mid-40 s so few people lived long enough to claim the pension at 70 (limitation) However, In addition, many old people were excluded from claiming the pension such as those who had not worked regularly or those who had spent time in prison or out of the country and many old people did not have birth certificates to prove their entitlement (limitation)

Paragraph Plan - Old TS – The Liberals introduced a major reform to help the old. K: Pensions – Year, detail K: Detail amounts received A: On the one hand this was successful because… A+: However on the other hand, this reform was limited because… Evaluation – overall how successfully did the Liberals meet the needs of the old? Use own words/ evidence to support your judgement. Overall, the Liberal Reforms did successfully help the old / did not successfully help the old/ only helped the old to an extent because… Use new evidence Don’t repeat K/A/A

3. The Workers 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) – when you were too ill to work you would receive money • This was contributory - The worker paid 4 p per week, the employer 3 p and the government 2 p ‘ninepence for fourpence’ • The worker received 9 shillings (45 p) per week when off work sick, for 13 weeks then a lower rate was paid for the next 13 weeks • The scheme also provided free medical treatment for the worker who was ill

National Insurance: Analysis This was a success because absence from work through sickness was a major cause of poverty therefore any money coming in during sickness would help a family in need to survive (success) This was a success because the worker who was ill would now receive free medical treatment through the National Insurance Act, helping him get back into work (success)

National Insurance: Analysis However, 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) However, the reform was further limited because the benefits were limited to a period of only 26 weeks; many workers were ill for longer than this(limitation) However, Many historians have also argued that paying the contributions of 4 p per week may have actually led to further poverty in some families as it was effectively a wage cut (limitation)

Other reforms for workers Knowledge 1908 Miners 8 hour day – This reform meant that coal miners could only work a maximum of eight hours underground 1911 Shops Act – This reform limited working hours for shop assistants and guaranteed all shop workers one half day off per week. It became known as the ‘Early Closing Day’

Other reforms for workers Analysis This was a success because workers in certain industries such as miners and shop workers had improved working conditions with the reduction in hours spent at work. It also increased safety in the mines with a shorter working day (success) However, these reforms effectively led to a wage cut for miners and shop workers as less time spent at work meant less money, which may have led to increased poverty for some families (limitation)

Paragraph Plan - Workers TS – The Liberals introduced major reforms to help workers. K: NI Part I – Year, name & detail A: On the one hand this was successful because… A+: However on the other hand, this reform was limited because… K: Other reforms – Miners 8 hour Day, Shops Act A: On the one hand this was successful because… A+: However on the other hand, this reform was limited because… Evaluation – overall how successfully did the Liberals meet the needs of the workers? Use own words/ evidence to support your judgement. Overall, the Liberal Reforms did successfully help the workers/ did not successfully help the workers/ only helped the workersto an extent because… Use new evidence Don’t repeat K/A/A

4. The Unemployed National Insurance Part 2: Knowledge In 1911 The National Insurance Act Part 2 was an unemployment insurance scheme i. e. pay when you were out of work • Insured workers received 7 shillings (35 p) per week whilst unemployed for a maximum of 15 weeks per year 1909 Labour exchanges – similar to jobcentres where unemployed could register to find work. The NI Part II Unemployment Benefits were paid at newly opened Labour exchanges which provided unemployed workers with information on local job vacancies to help them find jobs.

National Insurance Part II: Analysis The NI Act was successful because unemployment of the breadwinner was a major cause of poverty therefore any money coming in during periods of unemployment would help a family in need (success) Labour exchanges were successful because they 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 and by 1913 there were 430 exchanges across the UK (success)

National Insurance Pt II: Analysis However, The act was limited in its success because the benefits were only open to those in certain trades such as shipbuilding, mechanical engineering, construction, iron founding and sawmilling (limitation) However, if the worker was dismissed from work from poor conduct then the benefits were not paid out, leaving the worker and his family without financial assistance (limitation)

Paragraph Plan - Workers TS – The Liberals introduced major reforms to help those who spent time out of work. K: NI Part II – Year, name & detail K: 1909 Labour Exchanges describe A: On the one hand this was successful because… A+: However on the other hand, this reform was limited because… Evaluation – overall how successfully did the Liberals meet the needs of the unemployed ? Use own words/ evidence to support your judgement. Overall, the Liberal Reforms did successfully help the unemployed / did not successfully help the unemployed / only helped the unemployed to an extent because… Use new evidence Don’t repeat K/A/A

Main Liberal Reforms (you need to know all 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 • 1907 Children’s Charter – set out laws to protect Children i. e. restrictions on alcohol • 1908 Old Age Pensions – 25 p per week for those 70+ (1/4 average wage). • 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.