© HarperCollins Publishers 2010 Change and continuity Why did the Liberal Party support welfare reforms in the early 20 th century?

© HarperCollins Publishers 2010 Change and continuity Objectives In this activity you will: Learn the reasons for welfare reforms. Learn why the Liberal Party supported welfare reforms in the early 20 th Century.

© HarperCollins Publishers 2010 Change and continuity Why did the Liberal Party support welfare reforms in the early 20 th century? In the grid below are various reforms introduced by the Liberal Party in the early 20 th Century. Using your textbook, additional research and the internet, try to find out what these reforms did and how they might have improved the lives of people living in poverty. Arrange the reforms in the correct chronological order. 1911: National Insurance Act 1909: Trade Boards Act 1906: Trade Disputes Act 1908: Miners’ Eight Hours Act 1907: Education Act 1906: Introduction of School Meals 1908: Children’s Act 1908/09: Old Age Pensions 1909: National Labour Exchanges 1907: Medical Inspections for Children

© HarperCollins Publishers 2010 Change and continuity You should now understand the different types of welfare reforms the Liberals introduced in the early 20 th Century. Now complete the following task in pairs: Read through screens 6 and 7, which highlight the different reasons why the Liberals supported welfare reforms. Organise these reasons into an order of significance. Number 1 should be the most important cause and number 6 should be the least important cause. Remember to include clear explanations for your choices. The next screen has a brief example, which may help you explain your own choices. Now compare and discuss your ideas with the rest of the class. Why did the Liberal Party support welfare reforms in the early 20 th century?

© HarperCollins Publishers 2010 Change and continuity ‘A very important reason why the Liberals supported welfare reforms was to gain the vote of the working classes. The success of the Labour Party in the 1906 election convinced the Liberals that supporting welfare reforms would prevent more of the working classes voting for the Labour Party’. Why did the Liberal Party support welfare reforms in the early 20 th century?

© HarperCollins Publishers 2010 Change and continuity Why did the Liberal Party support welfare reforms in the early 20 th century? Reasons: 1.People’s attitudes were changing towards poverty, and there was more support for helping the unemployed. 2.Many people believed that for Britain to maintain a strong empire and to compete with the USA and Germany, the population of Britain had to remain healthy. Therefore, welfare reforms would help to create healthy children who, if needed, could serve in the British Army. 3.British businessmen needed a healthy workforce. List continues on next screen

© HarperCollins Publishers 2010 Change and continuity Why did the Liberal Party support welfare reforms in the early 20 th century? Reasons (continued): 4. T.H. Green – an influential member of the Liberal Party – developed the idea of ‘positive freedom’. He argued that people needed help from the government to achieve real freedom. 5.Liberals hoped welfare reforms would gain them votes from the working classes. 6.The Labour Party was becoming more popular amongst the working classes. At the 1906 General election, Labour gained 30 MPs.

© HarperCollins Publishers 2010 Change and continuity Why did the Liberal Party support welfare reforms in the early 20 th century? Why have you ordered your list the way you have? Compare your list with that of your neighbour – how similar is it and how different? Can you explain the differences? From what you have discovered, was the Liberal Party really interested in welfare reforms, or did it just want to keep power?