The problem of poverty before 1906

• Provision for the poor was limited. • There were ‘slum’ districts in every town and

city.• There were fears of disorder and revolution if the

problems of poverty and unemployment weren’t dealt with.

• Booth and Rowntree had shown that the reasons for poverty weren’t always the fault of the poor themselves.

• There were worries about the physical deterioration of the British race.

The Causes

of Poverty

How successful were the Liberal Social Reforms:

1906-11?L/O:

To be able to identify who the Social Reforms were aimed at

To consider the extent to which the Liberals helped different groups

To consider how successfully the Liberals dealt with the problem of poverty

Fill in the gaps• In 1906, the Liberal Party came to power committed to a

programme ____________. This would involve ______________ in preference to the traditional policy of __________.

• The Liberal Party pursued social reform for a variety of reasons. There was tremendous ____________ while there were also concerns for ____________ following the military failures during the Boer War. The Liberals also fearful of the threat of the newly formed ______________ which threatened to take away the support of many traditional Liberal voters. Many Liberals preached a policy of _____________ to counter this threat. There was also a ____________ motive to the Liberal social reform, as many politicians felt it was appalling that a civilised society such as Britain endured such terrible conditions.

• Opposition to social reform came from both the left and the right. Labour felt it didn’t go far enough while the Tories felt it went too far and threatened personal ____________ and discouraged __________.

• Many Acts were pushed through prior to World War One, and by providing _______ to the poorest members of society, they are considered by many to be the beginning of the _______________.

Children

• Positives • Negatives

Workers

• Positives • Negatives

The Elderly

• Positives • Negatives

Timed Writing: 25 mins - How successful were the Liberals in dealing with the

problems of poverty?• Introduction – What were the problems of poverty before 1906?

• Include both the extent of poverty and the fact that the causes of poverty were economic factors which poor people couldn’t avoid.

• On the one hand some historians point to the successes of their reforms in helping the poor

– E.g. They successfully offered much needed help to the elderly poor:• What legislation was passed? • How did it help?• Evidence

• However, on the other hand historians have argued that the Liberals were limited in the success . .

– Were they as successful as they should be? (Give examples)– Was it actually a large proportion of people affected

• There is also an argument that the Liberals failed to deal with some of the problems

of poverty at all. . .– Think back to the problems of poverty, Was there anything they failed to deal with?

• In conclusion, . . . Remember in the exam you will only have 25 mins for this question as well!

How successful were the Liberals in dealing with the problems of poverty?

• Successfully created a basic minimum (a ‘lifebelt’) for people which improved provision for the poor and dealt with some of the causes of poverty.

– Give examples• Some reforms took away the stigma

of being classed as a pauper.• Rowntree undertook a ‘follow-up’

survey in 1936, which showed that only 4 per cent were living in ‘primary poverty’, compared to the 10% noted in his first report.

• Never created a full Welfare State (not their intention though)

• Major areas were left untouched.– Housing (1909 Town Planning Act

for slum clearance was not compulsory)

• No attempt was made to reform the Poor Law

– Many elderly still had to rely on the workhouse.

• Education was neglected (couldn’t get the 1906 Education Bill passed.

– British education remained inferior to Germany’s

• Those with large families received no specific aid

• Social reforms didn’t stop strikes (we will look at this in a later lesson)