Why did the Liberal Reforms of happen? S5/6 Cradle to the Grave

Why? Between the Liberals launched into one of the biggest programmes of social reform ever. Why did the Liberals carry out so many reforms? There were many reasons for this. Instead of being able to identify one, you should be able to identify the most important reasons and explain them. As an introduction, the following diagram might help to remind you of the points you should make in any answer to a question on why the Liberal Reforms happened.

Why did the Liberal Reforms of happen? New Liberalism? New ideas on State Interventionism National Security? The Boer Wars at the end of the 19 th C rasied the question – could Britain defend herself in a major war? Pressure from reports on poverty? Rowntree and Booth showed that poverty had causes, was not fault of the poor and was widespread National Efficiency? Britain was no longer the top industrial nation Political Advantage The Liberals could lose votes to Labour if nothing was done to help improve the conditions of the poor

Pressure from reports on poverty One of the most famous investigations into poverty was carried out by Booth and Rowntree. Their extensive research in London and York showed that poverty was a hard fact and was widespread. Their research also showed that poverty was often beyond the control of the poor. What could any individual do about low pay, unemployment, sickness and old age?

Worries about National Security When the Boer War started in 1899 volunteers rushed to join but almost ¼ of them were rejected on the grounds that they were not fit enough. The government worried about Britain’s future ability to defend itself against a stronger army

Worries about National Efficiency By the end of the 19thC, Britain was no longer the world’s strongest industrial nation and was facing serious competition from new industrial countries such as Germany. It was believed if the health and educational standards of Britain’s workers got worse then Britain’s position as a strong industrial power would be further threatened. In Germany a system of welfare benefits and old age pensions had already been set up in the 1880’s. If a main competitor could afford to do it why could Britain not do likewise.

Political Advantage Many historians believe that the Liberal Reforms were passed for very selfish reasons. Since 1884, most working class men had the vote and the Liberals wanted to attract those votes. But by 1906 a new party, the Labour Party, was competing for the same votes. If the Liberals were seen as unsympathetic to the poor, what might happen at elections in the future? It was therefore to the political advantage of the Liberal government to offer social reform, even if they did not fully believe in the principle of government intervention.

New Liberalism It would be far too harsh to argue that the Liberals passed social reforms just to win votes. A new generation of Liberal politicians genuinely believed that the government had a responsibility to help the poor. The ‘old Liberal’ Prime Minister Campbell Bannerman died and was replaced by Asquith in New Liberals with new ‘interventionist’ ideas such as David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill were given important government jobs. The appointments are among the main reasons why so many reforms happened from 1908 onwards.