History notes I
P. 1 - Britain Transformed, 1918-97
color code key:
1.1 - changing political & economic environment
1.2 - creating a welfare state
1.3 - society in transition
1.4 - changing quality of life
1.5 - thatcher
key legislation
pre course-1918:
women couldn't vote, but they had been campaigning for the right to do so since the 19th
century
main parties : conservatives, liberals
welfare was based in the workhouses, some benefits introduced but progress was limited
due to economic situation
education was based from family and the local community until 1902, when the
education act forced grammar schools to allow non-fee students 1/4 of their spots for
state funding - this didn’t work
in 1904, all students would receive basic humanistic and scientific education - but girls
would additionally learn domestic skills while boys took manual skills
university education was rare
1918-1945:
History notes I 1
, Governments -
12/1918-10/1922 : Liberal/Conservative - David Lloyd George
10/1922-5/1923 : Conservative - Andrew Bonar Law
5/1923-1/1924 : Conservative - Stanley Baldwin
1/1924 - 11/1924 : Labour - Ramsey Macdonald
11/1924 - 6/1929 : Conservative - Stanley Baldwin
6/1929-8/1931 : Labour - Ramsey Macdonald
Reasons for liberal decline
inability to cope with TU strikes
difficulties with war
Maurice debate - publicized DLG and Asquith rivalry, showed public they were a weak
party
coupon election - where candidates weren't really competing against each other, they
were endorsed by either the Conservative or Liberal party; created divisions within the
party
Chanak incident - involvement of British troops in Turkey’s conflict in attempts to take
over the land when they didn’t have the facilities, time or resources to do so
“cash for honors” - bribery for honorary titles
first past the post system - most votes in a constituency got the seat, disregarding others
votes - favored conservatives
1918 Representation of the People Act
allowed all men over the age of 21 and women over the age of 30 to vote - later
amended in 1928 to allow women over the age of 21 to vote
increased labour’s votes - also affected by TU backing and being more united than
liberals
Conservative success
protectionism
“one nation” party
SB’s success with working class due to past work with factories
History notes I 2
, plural votes - upper class voters who lived in an area and worked/studied elsewhere could
vote more than once
Welfare provision
1908 pensions act
supported the eligible over-70s
1911 national insurance act
self-funding insurance scheme where members paid while employed and funds were
used for benefits
1918-20 “out-of-work” donations
returning troops were unable to work and weren’t covered by any acts, so this was a last
resort as they couldn’t rely on the old poor law
1919 housing & town planning act
encouraged local authorities to use central government funds to meet housing demands in
their area, but wasn’t very successful and still saw a shortage of approx. 800,000 homes
1920 unemployment insurance act
funds were quickly drained due to post-war slump, led to introduction of seeking-work
test to reduce costs
1925 widows’, orphans’ and old age contributory pensions act
provided 10 shillings to those aged 65-75, and provided for widows, their children and
orphans - also later covered the self employed in 1937
1929 local government act
forced county & borough authorities to take control of benefits distribution in their area
and implement means test - was not very well liked as it was seen as unfair and an
invasion of privacy
also encouraged public assistance committees to develop state hospitals but didn’t show
much progress
1934 unemployment act
provided 26 weeks of benefits to those who contributed and created a national
unemployment assistance board - still didn’t cover widows and deserted wives
History notes I 3
P. 1 - Britain Transformed, 1918-97
color code key:
1.1 - changing political & economic environment
1.2 - creating a welfare state
1.3 - society in transition
1.4 - changing quality of life
1.5 - thatcher
key legislation
pre course-1918:
women couldn't vote, but they had been campaigning for the right to do so since the 19th
century
main parties : conservatives, liberals
welfare was based in the workhouses, some benefits introduced but progress was limited
due to economic situation
education was based from family and the local community until 1902, when the
education act forced grammar schools to allow non-fee students 1/4 of their spots for
state funding - this didn’t work
in 1904, all students would receive basic humanistic and scientific education - but girls
would additionally learn domestic skills while boys took manual skills
university education was rare
1918-1945:
History notes I 1
, Governments -
12/1918-10/1922 : Liberal/Conservative - David Lloyd George
10/1922-5/1923 : Conservative - Andrew Bonar Law
5/1923-1/1924 : Conservative - Stanley Baldwin
1/1924 - 11/1924 : Labour - Ramsey Macdonald
11/1924 - 6/1929 : Conservative - Stanley Baldwin
6/1929-8/1931 : Labour - Ramsey Macdonald
Reasons for liberal decline
inability to cope with TU strikes
difficulties with war
Maurice debate - publicized DLG and Asquith rivalry, showed public they were a weak
party
coupon election - where candidates weren't really competing against each other, they
were endorsed by either the Conservative or Liberal party; created divisions within the
party
Chanak incident - involvement of British troops in Turkey’s conflict in attempts to take
over the land when they didn’t have the facilities, time or resources to do so
“cash for honors” - bribery for honorary titles
first past the post system - most votes in a constituency got the seat, disregarding others
votes - favored conservatives
1918 Representation of the People Act
allowed all men over the age of 21 and women over the age of 30 to vote - later
amended in 1928 to allow women over the age of 21 to vote
increased labour’s votes - also affected by TU backing and being more united than
liberals
Conservative success
protectionism
“one nation” party
SB’s success with working class due to past work with factories
History notes I 2
, plural votes - upper class voters who lived in an area and worked/studied elsewhere could
vote more than once
Welfare provision
1908 pensions act
supported the eligible over-70s
1911 national insurance act
self-funding insurance scheme where members paid while employed and funds were
used for benefits
1918-20 “out-of-work” donations
returning troops were unable to work and weren’t covered by any acts, so this was a last
resort as they couldn’t rely on the old poor law
1919 housing & town planning act
encouraged local authorities to use central government funds to meet housing demands in
their area, but wasn’t very successful and still saw a shortage of approx. 800,000 homes
1920 unemployment insurance act
funds were quickly drained due to post-war slump, led to introduction of seeking-work
test to reduce costs
1925 widows’, orphans’ and old age contributory pensions act
provided 10 shillings to those aged 65-75, and provided for widows, their children and
orphans - also later covered the self employed in 1937
1929 local government act
forced county & borough authorities to take control of benefits distribution in their area
and implement means test - was not very well liked as it was seen as unfair and an
invasion of privacy
also encouraged public assistance committees to develop state hospitals but didn’t show
much progress
1934 unemployment act
provided 26 weeks of benefits to those who contributed and created a national
unemployment assistance board - still didn’t cover widows and deserted wives
History notes I 3
