1906 Conservative weaknesses
- Created by: Chono Bantubonse
- Created on: 06-04-15 20:17
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- Conservative weakness
- The Boer War
- It revealed the effect of poverty in the cities and the need for social reform (malnourishment). Conservatives ignored this need.
- Concentration camps showed that the Tories allowed ill treatment to happen
- it was costly in terms of lives lost and money spent
- 1902 Education act
- roused fury of non-conformists and led them to Liberals.
- the non conformists objected to their money taxes being spent on schools, there were campaigns against the act.
- 1904 Licensing Act
- also angered non-conformists because it was put in place to reduce the number of pubs.
- non-conformists were influencial groups that could swing the vote in marginal constituencies
- the act increased support for the Liberals
- Chinese Labour issue
- this caused a scandal which damaged conservatives from trade unionists
- unemployment in Britain was high and there was little support for the unemployed, the issue of Chinese labour took votes away from the Conservatives
- Taff Vale Case
- lost support because they didn't take the part of the trade unions over the Taff Vale case
- there was a dispute in Wales between the Taff Vale Railway Company and the railway workers' trade union - led to strike action
- the trade unions weren't happy with the outcome as the conservatives didn't help. This encourage trade unions to support the idea of a Labour group in Parliament and for campaigning against the Conservatives
- Neglect of social reform
- they didn't do much to help relieve the poverty in Britain
- they only produced the 1902 Education Act - provided some help but not much.
- Booth and Rowntree estimated that up to 30% of the urban population could be classed as poor and around 10 % could be classed as 'very poor' - insufficient income to meet the bare standard of living. Another 20% had incomes just sufficient to meet the minimum standard.
- Tariff reform campaign
- conservatives biggest policy misjudgement J Chamberlain launched it aiming
- they were supposed to be tariffs with a lower level of tariff for goods coming into Britain from the empire than good from other countries.
- Chamberlain said it would help save jobs, pay for social reforms and strengthen Britain's position in the world.
- It damaged the conservatives People feared that it would mean more expensive food and lower standard of living.
- Conservative leadership
- A.J Balfour's position didn't help the Conservatives as he lacked political skill.
- he was insensitive to public opinion, indecisive on tariffs and seriously miscalculated the reaction of working classes on key issues.
- he was indirectly responsible for the timing of the 1906 election, due to his unusual decision that his govt. should step down in Dec 1906
- A.J Balfour's position didn't help the Conservatives as he lacked political skill.
- The Boer War
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