Poverty and the Economy
This “Golden Age” did not start as bright as the aristocracy made it seem during the Edwardian Era. Edward VII took power into a period of uncertainty for Great Britain and while they were on top, many other empires across Europe were quickly becoming more powerful. Industry was growing at a slow pace, and Germany and the United States were overtaking the manufactured exports of Britain
The decades leading up to 1900 saw a major depression in agriculture in the English countryside til Edward took power. This caused many move to cities and factories for jobs, and the elite to sell land and homes to balance out a now decreased income. The poverty rate was high and 77% of the population was crowed into cities. As the cost of living continued to climb, wages were continuing to fall.
The end of the 19th century, more than 25% of the populations were at or below the poverty line, while 10% could not afford basic necessities like food, rent, and clothes. Only about 15%-20% had enough money to live on. Conditions did not improve by the 20th century with 25% living in poverty, 15% at the poverty line, and 10% were below the poverty line.
Along with wages, another cause of poverty was the death of the men of the family, who provided the main income. Poverty worked in a way like a rotation during this time. Single men did fine until a wife and kids proved too much for a budget of one person. Then, when kids grew old enough the work, the family leveled out again. However, many times old age proved it hard to find work in this time, bringing them back into poverty.
Without income, you had to enter a workhouse, which were kept as inhumane as possible to deter people from asking their government for assistance. They separated married couples, and children over 7 were taken away from their parents. Conditions did not improve until the 1900s.
The 1900s saw some changes as a more liberal government was put in place to reform economic conditions. Poor children were given free meals at school, old age pensions were paid at 5 schillings a week to people over 70 (which still wasn't much in those days), and wages councils were also formed. They set minimum pay levels for the different industries. Labor exchanges were established, so people could go and find jobs advertised to have a better chance of finding work. Unemployed benefits were also given to those in jobs with known history of unemployment, like shipbuilding.
London became Britain’s largest center for industry, with five million employed in 1900 with forty percent in the manufacturing field. Inner city districts contained workshop while factories were located in the East end by the river. The docking industry contained the highest source of jobs, 20,000 men being employed at a time. The Port of London Authority brought private companies together in 1909.
For more information:
"1900-1909." Exploring 20th Century London. Renaissance London. Web. 29 Oct 2013.
<http://www.20thcenturylodnon.org.uk/timeline/1900-1909>.
Charters, Gillian. "The Edwardian age: not just a 'long sunlit afternoon'." The Christian Science Monitor . The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 2005. Web. 5 Nov 2013. <http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0621/p16s02-bogn.html>.
Lambert, Tim. "A Brief History of Poverty in Britain." A World History Encyclopedia . N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov 2013. <http://www.localhistories.org/povhist.html>.
The decades leading up to 1900 saw a major depression in agriculture in the English countryside til Edward took power. This caused many move to cities and factories for jobs, and the elite to sell land and homes to balance out a now decreased income. The poverty rate was high and 77% of the population was crowed into cities. As the cost of living continued to climb, wages were continuing to fall.
The end of the 19th century, more than 25% of the populations were at or below the poverty line, while 10% could not afford basic necessities like food, rent, and clothes. Only about 15%-20% had enough money to live on. Conditions did not improve by the 20th century with 25% living in poverty, 15% at the poverty line, and 10% were below the poverty line.
Along with wages, another cause of poverty was the death of the men of the family, who provided the main income. Poverty worked in a way like a rotation during this time. Single men did fine until a wife and kids proved too much for a budget of one person. Then, when kids grew old enough the work, the family leveled out again. However, many times old age proved it hard to find work in this time, bringing them back into poverty.
Without income, you had to enter a workhouse, which were kept as inhumane as possible to deter people from asking their government for assistance. They separated married couples, and children over 7 were taken away from their parents. Conditions did not improve until the 1900s.
The 1900s saw some changes as a more liberal government was put in place to reform economic conditions. Poor children were given free meals at school, old age pensions were paid at 5 schillings a week to people over 70 (which still wasn't much in those days), and wages councils were also formed. They set minimum pay levels for the different industries. Labor exchanges were established, so people could go and find jobs advertised to have a better chance of finding work. Unemployed benefits were also given to those in jobs with known history of unemployment, like shipbuilding.
London became Britain’s largest center for industry, with five million employed in 1900 with forty percent in the manufacturing field. Inner city districts contained workshop while factories were located in the East end by the river. The docking industry contained the highest source of jobs, 20,000 men being employed at a time. The Port of London Authority brought private companies together in 1909.
For more information:
"1900-1909." Exploring 20th Century London. Renaissance London. Web. 29 Oct 2013.
<http://www.20thcenturylodnon.org.uk/timeline/1900-1909>.
Charters, Gillian. "The Edwardian age: not just a 'long sunlit afternoon'." The Christian Science Monitor . The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 2005. Web. 5 Nov 2013. <http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0621/p16s02-bogn.html>.
Lambert, Tim. "A Brief History of Poverty in Britain." A World History Encyclopedia . N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov 2013. <http://www.localhistories.org/povhist.html>.