British Depth Study 1890-1918 Essay

What were the livelihood and social conditions comp arable in the 1890s? Living conditions* Towns became tout ensemble(a) all(prenominal) told oercrowded.* concourse lived in slums, often whole families lived in one room. * No internal peeing supplies.* Shared kayoedside toilets.* Limited electricity, laden families were starting to get it. * Larger families still high infant mortality.* Very confine birth control, moral distaste.* church building taught contraceptive method was wrong.Working conditions* virtually repre directers releaseed in f numeralories.* wild pansy make for wo manpower stipulation bestow to do at domicil or in small proceedshops, sewing or making matchboxes or candles, umpteen early(a)s utilisationed in frame bl destination in factories. It was used to supple handst the mans income. * No minimum wage or restrictions on the amount of hours worked. * No unemploy custodyt benefit, eruct pay or pensions.* more workers scarce had seasona l worker employment.* Safety at work had improved, rates of pay were still the alike(p). The introduce believed it was down to the employee to accept a wage. conjure up of education* State education until twelve.* Church trails provided a different type of education, most(prenominal) inform were church instills. * Factory develops better the children of their workers. * Very limited secondary education, whole available for the wealthy Victorian perspectives and solutions to pauperisation* Rich deserved to be rich, sad deserved to be lamen hold over.* Deserving brusque were morally correct, primarily women and children. * The undeserving inadequate spent coin on beer, drugs and prostitutes and were morally ir liable. * Had to care yourself.* raft went to workhouses, worked for pabulum and a bed.What were social reformers doing in 1890s and what motives were in that location for reforms? William Booth and the buyback Army* deal Christian groups gave hot soup and kail to mint plainly did more(prenominal). * William and fatheadherine Booth went stunned and found unretentive pot inside East capital of the United Kingdom. * East capital of the United Kingdom perpetration expanded until in 1878 had 45 branches and was cal conduct Salvation Army. * Organised wish well an array.* utilize solicitude-grabbing techniques refreshing uniforms, brass bands to get attention and cash. * By 1900 it ran acquireing centres, exertion transmute to assistant lot find line of productss, a leaven and brickworks. * Designed to help the great unwashed and train poor.* Salvation Army gathitherd info ab aside poor and causes of scantiness, showed nigh(prenominal) hoi polloi couldnt help being poor out of their control * William Booth depict leanness in three circles the sharp- tick and home little (honest poor), those that lived by vice and those that lived by crime. Charles Booth* Wealthy Liverpudlian, inherited descent and moved to London. * Refused to accept governing statistic that 25% of running(a) tribe in London was in poverty. * Spent 17 old age with a team investigating living conditions, income and sp subverting of over 4000 people. * Found 31% of Londoners lived beneath poverty line.* Many impression it was their own fault they were poor further Booth worked out 85% were poor because of wage and unemployment problems. Split the poor into quatern groups* kin A lowest mark street sellers, criminals, loafers life of savages with extreme reverse 11,000/1.25% population * Class B causative earnings widows, deserted women, part period labourers shiftless and helpless 110,000/11.25% population * Class C occasional earnings withdraw by trade depressions 75,000/8% population * Class D low wage,less than 21 shillings per cal end upar week dock labourers and splatter workers -just enough to survive 129,000/14.5% population Seebohm Rowntree* Intrigued by Charles Booths findings he treasured to see how York compared. * Calculated a family of 5, 3 adults and two children could live off 21 shillings and 8 pence per week. * Found 28% of York families were below this line, divided them into two categories * patriarchal poverty no matter how hard a family worked, they would never earn enough money to provide themselves with adequate intellectual nourishment, fosterive cover and clothing. These families didnt stand a chance. * Secondary poverty These families could just about feed, clothe and shelter themselves, provided there were no additional calls on their income. These families lived on the edge. * 10% of York in Primary poverty, 18% in Secondary poverty. * use Booths sentiment of poverty line to work out when may be above or below. separate(a) motives* Surveys like those of Charles Booth and Rowntree tackd opinion. * stupor of the Boer fightfare 40% volunteers were unfit for the army and travel behind Ger some. People feared Britain would no drawn-out be great power imperially, economically and militarily unless looked by and by people better. * German organisation had already introduced social reforms like pension and policy projects. * delve ships company formed in 1900 poised a threat and tolerants feared losing working class pick outs unless they acted. * In 1906 Liberals won factualmslide majority and were judge to act. * Some in the al unitedly Liberals were in storage locker and had the power and responsibility to help the produce.What reforms were brought in? antiquePensions be learn (1908)* Gave weekly pensions from government funds to the elderly. * Only for over 70s* Promised to be introduced in 1908 and made honor the year after. * Single person could receive 5s (s=shillings) per week. * get married couple could receive 7s 6d (d=pence). Later change magnitude to 10s.ChildrenFree School Meals (1906)* Local councils seducen power to give sinless sh get out meals to children from the poores t families * Paid for from the topical anesthetic rates* By 1914, 158,000 children were acquiring complete meal one time per daySchool medical inspections (1907)* Doctors and nurses went to schools and gave controlling medical checks. * Recommended any treatment that should be done.* Checks were unembellished, treatment wasnt.* In 1912 treatment became freeChildrens commonplaceation (1908)* Children became protected persons, people could be prosecuted for stiffness against them. * Poor law authorities had to visit and supervise children who had suffered cruelty or been neglected. * all(prenominal) childrens homes were registered and inspected.* Children nether 14 who broke the law couldnt go to adult prisons. * Juvenile courts were pay back up to try children accused of a crime. * Children who committed a crime were sent to Borstals, finickyly built and equipped for progeny offenders * Children under 14 couldnt go in pubs.* Cigarettes couldnt be change to under 16s.Sc hool clinics (1912)* Network of school clinics set up to provide free medical treatment. * Necessary because some parents could not afford the treatment demand that was observed during medical inspections.The flush and unemployedLabour Exchanges Act (1909)* theme string of labour exchanges set up.* Unemployed workers went to labour exchange to look for work. * More efficient than tramping round workplaces and more efficient for those offering work to people. * Like modern job centre. depicted object Insurance Act (1911)* Insurance scheme aimed to go a coherent poverty because of illness. * Workers could insure themselves against sickness and draw money from the scheme if they set down ill and could not work. * All manual(a) workers and people in low- give white-collar jobs had to join. * Workers paid 4d for insurance stamps which they stuck on a special card. * Employers contri scarcelyed 3d per worker.* organisation modifyd 2d per worker.* If a worker fell ill they got si ck pay of 10s for 13 weeks, then 5s for 13 weeks in any one year.National Insurance Act, Part 2 (1911)* Aimed to pr face poverty because of unemployment.* Insured workers for the periods of time that they were out of work. * At the start scheme go around to mainly men who worked in jobs where there was a great deal of seasonal unemployment such as shipbuilding and engineering. * Workers, employers and presidency each paid 2d in insurance stamps per week. * When unemployed workers could claim 7s 6d per week for 15 weeks.How effective were these reforms?ChildrenBenefits* Free school meals for the poorest families children. * Free medical checks at school and after 1912 free treatment. * New laws passed to protect children.Drawbacks* Had to pay for medical problems between 1907 and 1912 disdain free checks. * Only some councils gave free school meals.* Limited en military strengthment of unseasoned laws.ElderlyBenefits* Funded by the state (non-contributory).* Provided some state a ssistance.* Kept elderly out of workhouse.DrawbacksCouldnt get it if* Had been in prison at heart the last ten years.* Earned over 31 2s per year.* Hadnt been a British citizen for twenty years.The SickBenefits* 10 one thousand million men and 4 million women involved.* stop people falling into poverty finished sickness.* Allowed people to get money if they were ill.* Got 9d for every(prenominal) 4d paid in.Drawbacks* Cost worker 4d for insurance stamps, employers paid 3d and organization 2d. * Could only claim for 26 weeks per year, half at reduced rate. * Was compulsory.The unemployedBenefits* Stopped people going into poverty because of unemployment * Labour exchanges.* Helped people who were in seasonal employment.Drawbacks* Cost worker, employer and Government 2d per week.* Only available for 15 weeks per year.* Limited to a bit of professions (2.25m eligible). feminine SuffrageWhat were the social, semipolitical and legal corrects of women in the 1890s?Working class* in advance 1870, most didnt go to school. In 1870 state education set up and became compulsory by 1880. * By 1900 97% of all children could read and write.* At school predominantly taught to be good housewife.* Most working class women had small job supplement mans income. * unspoilt end 19th century new jobs for women appearing e.g. typing. * Got less pay for same wage as men and worked large hours.Middle and upper class women* educated to be good companions.* In second half of 19th century women got more granting immunity.* Still hard for women to get into higher education.* Womens colleges had been set up but women still couldnt get degrees. * New employment opportunities opened up for upper- nerve center-class women teaching, nursing and clerical work.Marriage* small position to husbands.* Became station of husband when they married, transferred all belongings. * Could rape and batter wives, women couldnt pep up part. * Some changes came in in 1900 women could divorce men for cruelty, desertion and bigamy, women kept property after marriage, women couldnt be kept in husbands home against will.Votes* Women had good jobs but couldnt balloting.* In 1867 Parliament had considered big women the vote but decided against it.For and against effeminate voteFor* Women had wealth and careers but were not allowed to vote. * It would get men to raise their moral standards like women. * equating would stop pre-marital sex, prostitution and venereal disease. * Britain is not a democracy until women get the vote.* right to vote is a right to which women are entitled.* early(a) countries were giving women the vote.Against* Women and men have weaken spheres.* Most women do not essential the vote.* Women are represented by their husbands.* It is risky to change a system that isnt broken. * Womens role is in local personal matters.* Women do not fight to champion their country.How effective were the activities of the suffragists and the suffragettes?Su ffragists* Bulk of campaigners they encouraged, educated and persuaded people. * Didnt under amaze direct action campaign.* Entered political pact with labour party.Suffragettes* Were the minority.* Set up by Emmeline Pankhurst and her two daughters.* Frustrated in 1906 when the vote wasnt presumptuousness to women. * At start causes nuisance and attacked symbols of the state.Winning the vote* Propaganda newspapers, posters and pamphlets* Meetings and demonstrations held mass meetings and parades drawing over 20,000 protestors. * courteous disobedience and petitions not paying taxes, boycotted 1911 census, 1910 petition to parliament in support of propitiation tiptop, over 250,000 signatures. * Hunger disc leave outs 1909 a number of WSPU supporters went on aridity strike whilst in prison to be recognised as political prisoners. Authorities force-fed them and passed cat and swipe act in 1913. * Suffragette violence Slasher bloody outrage destroyed paintings at the Nati onal Gallery, Lloyd Georges second home was firebombed, Emily Davidson dies at the plug hat in 1913. drift and Mouse Act* Women began going on hunger strike in 1909 to be recognised as political prisoners. * Government couldnt allow them to die and be seen as martyrs. * seem started releasing them after a a couple of(prenominal) days then started force-feeding. * In 1913 Cat and Mouse Act was passed allowing the women on hunger strike to be released after a few days and re-arrested once they had gone(p) back to a healthy weight. expiation Bill* WSPU calls off violence when Asquith agrees to give women the vote. * Asquith sales booths on Conciliation Bill.* WSPU protests and turns into color Friday, fights with police dieing to WSPU members being assaulted. time Actions by Parliament Actions by Militants1906 Liberals choose to Government Start to disrupt all-embracings meetings to get votes for women discussed. 1907 Government shows no interest in votes for women NUWSS org anises march to London 1908 Herbert Asquith renders Prime pastor Suffragettes step up campaign to prove to support for womens votes to Asquith 1908 Some WSPU members arrestedWSPU smash windows in pop Street and chain themselves to railings 1909 Start force-feeding in prisons WSPU step up campaignsHunger strikes in prison start 1910 Discussions about Conciliation BillGovernment stall about Conciliation Bill WSPU exclude campaignBlack Friday, when Government stalls. 1911 Government abandons Conciliation Bill and gives more votes to men WSPU furiously start up and step-up campaign 1912 Massive window smashing campaign by WSPUWSPU render raided and many arrests, Cristobel Pankhurst flees to Paris 1913 Introduction of the Cat and Mouse Act abandon is increasedEmily Davidson dies at the Derby 1914 Cracks down on WSPUWSPU prisoners released at start of the contend Continues with more violence, lose normal supportHalts campaign when state of state of contend breaks outDid the violent methods of the Suffragettes help?Yes* Made pistillate suffrage front page news, brought to the attention of the ordinary and Government. * When the issue had been raised it wouldnt go away. Sooner or posterior theyd get the vote. * The idea of women voter turnout became less strange.* The violence didnt change Asquiths opinions, he was already against it.No* Violence played into Governments hands, gave them an excuse not to give them the vote. * Government at time appeared close to giving vote but couldnt be seen to be giving in to violence. * Violence turned tick off mononuclear phagocyte system against female suffrage, why bills for suffrage failed. * Supported the vista women were not trusty enough to vote. * In 1913/14 NUWSS was growing in popularity at expense of WSPU, turning away from violence.How did women contribute to the state of struggle case?Attitude of campaigners to the extravasation of warfare* WSPU called off campaign and contributed to the wa r effort. * Emmeline and Cristobel Pankhurst started Right to serve campaign demanding larger roles for women. * Sylvia Pankhurst headed a breakaway pacifist hunting expedition opposing the war. * NUWSS Millicent Fawcett backed the effort and NUWSS helped enrolling women to work in factories. Continued to campaign for suffrage but more low key.Roles of women during the war* Supporting men run families whilst men away fighting (extra responsibility) * Occupied position in the work force.* Worked in expanded armaments factories and other jobs vacated by men. * Vital especially after munitions crisis of 1915 and by 1918 6 million women in employment (mainly munitions). * Suffered poor conditions e.g. canaries who worked with dangerous chemicals (sulfur) * Canaries flake went yellow, some were sterilised by chemicals and some got kidney and liver disease. * Womens land army 16,000 women get together army to grow food, act as nurses and drivers.Problems women faced* Balancing work and home* Food problems limit and food prices* Monetary problems rent strikes, resolved by Rent Restriction Act. * Separation allowances money paid to wives of servicemen and a pension if he died at war.Changing social attitudes* maternity Mothers day introduced in 1916 to celebrate importance of women. Raised indite of mothers and encourage growth of birth rate, including acquaintance of unmarried mothers. * Greater social liberty utilised extra income and numerous affairs leading to growth of STDs, some councils essay a curfew to solve problem.Why women were prone the vote in 1918Problems with the franchise* Wartime problems many men lost the right to vote and registers out of date * Lobbying by Fawcett and NUWSS petitioned electoral conference held in 1917Details of the 1918 copy of the Peoples Act* All women over 30 allowed to vote and become MPs, all men over 21 could vote * There were some concerns over the majority of the electorate being women and young women missing maturityReasons for female suffrage in 1918* Changing attitude of politicians more kind-hearted Lloyd George now PM * Contribution to the war effort war work gave type reason for many politicians to end foeman * Limited female suffrage appeased moderate opponents * Fear of return to suffragette militancy repress prospect of locking women up who had helped the war effortCampaign did not end until 1928 when the age of voting was equalised to 21Impact of WWIHow were civilians affected by the war? recruitment* Initial voluntary campaign led by Kitchener* million men joined in first month, 2.5 million by March 1916 * Men kept together in Pals Battalions* Liberal Government wouldnt force people to join up* In 1914 Britain had a huge empire but army of only 250,000 men * January 1916 Conscription Act passed making all men ages between 18-41 eligible for array service * Those in vital war industries were keptbackConscientious Objectors* People who would not join up main ly religious or humanitarian reasons e.g. Quakers * more often than not viewed as cowards by general domain and referred to as conchies * Given white feathers to shame objectors into joining up * Government set up tribunals to decide if there were original reasons not to go to war * Could force them to help war effort in non-combatant roles on front line * Those who refused were imprisoned, if refused orders they were shot. holy terror of shells, bombs and fear of invasion* Shelling of coastal towns December 1914 shelled Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool killing 119 people * zeppelin and Gotha bombing raids smaller zeppelins started bombing January 1915 responsible 564 deaths and 1370 injuries. Later larger Gotha airships from whitethorn 1917 responsible for 835 deaths and 1990 injuries. First time UK vulnerable to impertinent air attack. * Preparation for invasion bombardment of costal ports lead to plans issued in event of invasion.Organising Britain for war* Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) August 1914* DORA gave government powers over to the highest degree all areas of life including seizing businesses, land and controlling the spread of information * watch of industry mining industry interpreted over by government, improved wages of workers. * Lloyd George headed new Ministry of Munitions created after shell crisis of May 1915. * Introduced modern techniques and dramatically improved skill controlled over 20,000 factories. * Took over shipbuilding, mines and train networks.* Brought in drinking laws, controlled pubs (watered down beer) and controlled football fixtures. * Railways needed to move troops around to ports to ship them to France. Guaranteed the companies the same profit levels as 1913. analogous thing happened with mines.Controlling food proceeds* Threat to food imports UK relied on orthogonal imports of food and with the unrestricted German U boat campaign from 1916 faced dread(a) food shortages and by April 1917 had 9 we eks grant left. * Germany wanted to starve Britain to the negotiation table * Imported 80% wheat, 50% milk, 50% fruit and veg, 100% sugar. * Improve confer of food focus on expanding farming by increasing amount of arable land and expand agricultural workforce with Womens Land Army. * Rich people bought more food than they needed make prices to rise.Rationing Also Ministry of Food of food set up anti-waste campaign and pay price of bread. * Voluntary rationing replaced by compulsory scheme in 1918, rationing included meat, sugar and butter. Ended in 1920. * Changes to British lifestyle Asquith ran war effort as business as uncouth. * Lloyd George attacked waste, idleness and drunkenness and introduced restrictions on public entertainment (e.g. banning sports event and public holidays) and the sale and consumption of alcohol introduced idea of total war effort. * Loss of holidays lead to strikes in 1917 and 1918.How effective was Government propaganda during the war?Newspap ers* Tight controls on what journalists on the front line could say. * Censored the wording of the reports.* No casualty lists until May 1915.* Ministry of Information outlaw letters home from spends, soldiers felt betrayed that their families believed the lies produced by the newspapers.Posters, postcards and cartoons* Useful visiual impact, 110 were published during the war, 5 million copies issued. * Range of messages anti-German, anti-waste and morale acme themes, recruitment. * All avoided any explicit definition of the war.* Used postcards to develop themes e.g. Telling the stratum which showed the progression of a young soldier to his proud parents and family.Official exposures and paintings* Low number of official photographers at the start of the war, 4, compared to Germanys 50 and Frances 35. * Werent allowed to photograph dead bodies.* Later when Lord Beaverbrook became Minister of Information he gave the photographers more freedom as he wanted to gull a record of the war.Official films* Used as newsreels.* Aimed to persuade people to help the war effort by treat Germans and praising the British effort. * Most famous, The Battle of the Somme, consisted of staged and real footage. * Played to huge audiences and shocked many people with graphic scenes of death.Why did some women get the vote after the war?* Lloyd George had replaced Asquith in 1916 and he was more sympathetic to the idea. * Soldiers had lost right to vote by being abroad for a long time, needed more voters. * War work by women destroyed arguments of MPs against votes for women. * Many men were now in spare of women getting the vote after their division to the war effort Britain may have lost the war without their help. * One of the arguments against women getting the vote was that they couldnt help to accommodate their country, this argument was now invalid. * Conservative MPs were happy women under 30 wouldnt get vote as they were broken young working-class women vote Labour. * Liberal and Labour MPs were happy all women over 30 would get the vote. This meant working-class, middle and upper class, so they wouldnt all vote Conservative. * The Government was afraid that the suffragettes would restart their campaign after the war and didnt want to imprison those who helped them win the war.On the other hand* Many men, especially those in trade unions, did not meet women workers in the First knowledge domain War. They were hard-pressed that they would work for lower wages and take their jobs. They were not impressed by the work that women did * Some women did not support the war effort, for example, Sylvia Pankhurst. She campaigned against the war. Some members of the NUWSS continued to campaign for votes for women. Did the Government really feel it wanted to pay back these women? * The women who did much of the really dangerous, hard, and crucial work in the war were young and working class, for example, the munitions workers. And yet they were not given the vote in 1918After the warWhat was the attitude of the British people at the end of the war towards the Germans and the Paris Peace multitude?Attitudes towards Germany* Impact of wartime propaganda and casualty figures effect of anti-German propaganda and UK casualties of over 600,000 * Felt Germany should be severely penalize as they started the war * Public biliousness and the 1918 election Lloyd George and the Conservatives dominated the collation given mandate to hang the Kaiser and squeeze GermanyAttitudes towards war in general* Influence of war poets Sassoon etc. changing the image of war * Rise of pacifism anti-war mood, First World War seen as the the war to end all wars * Changing attitudes towards the Peace Treaties Keynes and other criticisms of peace treaties leads to change in public attitude