Liberal Government (1906-1914) and British Poverty

earlier 1906, the British politicians still stood for the principles of Laissez faire- Individuals were solely responsible for their own lives and welfare. The government activity did non accept obligation for the penury and hardship that existed among its citizens - and had non planned any kind reforms ready to implement when in actor. However, once the Liberals were in power it was clear reforms were needed on a large straddle of kindly issues. One primary(prenominal) concern was national capacity. During the Boer War the large levels of ill-health among the travail recruits become clear to the government, with closely cardinal third of the soldiers enlist being rejected on medical grounds. Now in that location were worries that Britains population was not as fit or educated as her briny competitors in the world. This was linked to another(prenominal) major issue face by the Liberals; the extent of poverty in Edwardian Britain. Investigations by both Charles Boot h and Seebohm Rowntree revealed that one third of the citys population was alimentation in poverty rather than the ternary percent that was previously believed to read the city. While Booth and Rowntree hold that some poverty was a result of the laziness and groundlessness of many individuals, much of it was caused by unemployment, sickness and old age. In an attempt to reduce the naughty percentage of people living in poverty in Britain Acts were passed to try and limit the meat of children being caught up by the poverty cycle. The Liberals also value that workers needed help from the government when faced with unemployment or illness. Finally, the Liberals as a government in power were the first to roll in the hay that elderly individuals suffered from poverty, and possibly the hardest, and then took steps in providing pecuniary support to the worst off. On the other hand, how effective the social reforms implemented by the Liberals bum be questioned, although they cov ered a wide range of problems no(prenominal) ful...