The Liberal Reforms and the Welfare State

The early 20th century saw a dramatic shift in the role of the government in caring for the health of the nation. The Liberal Reforms (1906--1914) and the creation of the Welfare State (1942--1948) established the principle that the government had a responsibility to protect its citizens from poverty and ill health.

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Why Did Attitudes Change?

Several factors led to a growing belief that the government should intervene to improve public health.

Factor	Detail
Booth and Rowntree's research	Charles Booth (1889) and Seebohm Rowntree (1901) conducted surveys that proved poverty was caused by circumstances (low wages, old age, sickness), not laziness
The Boer War (1899--1902)	Up to 40% of army recruits were rejected as physically unfit for service; this was a national embarrassment and security concern
Political competition	The new Labour Party threatened to take working-class votes from the Liberals; the Liberals needed to offer social reforms
The example of Germany	Germany had introduced sickness and accident insurance in the 1880s under Bismarck, showing that state welfare was possible