To what extent did the Liberal Government (1906 to 1914) set up a welfare state in Britain? A welfare state is a state with social services controlled or financed by the Government. These services aim to protect society’s weakest members from the cradle to the grave; from birth to death. As Beveridge described it, a welfare state is the provision of services for the prevention of “disease, squalor, want, idleness and ignorance.” As the national Government from 1906 to 1914, the Liberals passed several reforms which many, including the historian G. Williams, claim heralded the arrival of the welfare state.The Liberal Government addressed the problem of disease and the overall poor health of the nation, as revealed by the physical deficiency of the country’s people, by passing several bills, each aiming to protect the vulnerable members of society, such as children. In 1907, the Medical Inspections Act dealt partially with the problem of disease in schools. Free medical inspections took place following this Act, but, although the Act highlighted the ill health of the nation’s children, it did nothing to alleviate the problem, for most parents could not afford medical treatment; this was not offered by the Government. Part one of the National Insurance Act of 1911 provided health insurance for workers who earned less then 160 annually. This Act was triggered both by the issue of “national deficiency” and from the tuberculosis outbreak which was claiming 75,000 lives every year. Though this Act was significant in that it was the first time that the Government had offered such insurance, it failed to provide for the sick employee’s family, only for the employee himself. Also, sickness benefit lessened as time passed, and after 26 weeks, it was infinitesimal. The final reform Act passed by the Liberals which concentrated on lessening poor health was the Workmen's Compensation Act of 1906, whic...
