The Liberals were also concerned about national efficiency. If the lower classes weren’t healthy and fit enough to work at their optimum amount, the British economy would suffer, as production would become slower and of a lower quality. Therefore, making sure that the working class had the necessities to live and that the workers were healthy was vital. This had an influence on the decision to start the NHS, offering free health care and prescriptions. Other Acts were also bought into action as part of a drive for national efficiency, which the government were also made aware of by the reports by Booth and Rowntree.
The Liberal government were also concerned with national security. During the Boer War many of the working class had to be turned away when they volunteered for the British army as they were too unhealthy and unfit to be taken on. They would’ve been sitting targets for the enemy and would have died pointlessly. If the government did not heighten the quality of health and fitness in the working class, then if another war was to break out (though at the time they knew nothing of the approaching World War I) then the country could be n serious trouble and danger. Social reform would be needed to improve the health of the working class for the benefit of the country.
The Labour party, formed in 1900, wanted social reform in Britain and believed more in it than the Liberal government. The working class were moving more towards the Labour party at the promises of a welfare state that they offered them, which they so desperately needed. The Liberal government had to react to this, and with Labour politicians already in the cabinet it was important that the Liberals introduced their own regime of state intervention to maintain votes and supporters from the working class. This was part of the ‘new Liberalism’ look.
Lloyd George visited Germany and whilst there noted the wonders of Bismarck’s system of government. He bought back Bismarck’s ideas to Britain and copied his system of government. Bismarck’s success with some sort of welfare state regime encouraged Lloyd George to introduce it in Britain. With a surplus of funding, as Asquith had cut money going into defence, the Liberal government could afford to spend it in other areas such as this. When he became Chancellor of the Exchequer he played an important part in social reform under the Liberal government.
Many believed that the Liberals a come into power due to the Conservatives being exhausted of new ideas after being in office for ten years and making some mistakes under leadership of Balfour, which led to unpopularity ‘The Liberals won the 1906 election because of the way in which they capitalised the Unionists mistakes and unpopularity’ [1], rather than the Liberals being victorious. The Conservative leader, Balfour was also considered a weak leader ‘Under his leadership it is inevitable that the Unionist party should slide to defeat’ [2]. The Liberals had capitalised on the exhausted Conservative party and to win the election they offered Britain a ‘new look’ Liberalism party. One of the newest additions to the Liberal party’s policies was the promise of social reform. The Liberal party had previously always supported self help. When they came into office they had to fulfil their promises to the people and so social reform started to be introduced.
In conclusion, one can conclude that social reform was brought about by many factors. Due to the demand for social reform from the people of Britain and the factors that showed a need for state invention the Liberals had little choice but to introduce some state of social reform in the country. Many of their original ideas can still be seen today and was the foundation of the Welfare State that we now live in. It greatly benefitted the country. These social reforms benefitted the working class and reduced poverty in Britain. It was one of the last great acts by the Liberal party.
