IB History Early 20th-century Britain Notes

David Lloyd George (1863–1945)

Background

• Born in Wales in 1863 to a modest family, Lloyd George trained as a lawyer before entering politics.
• He became a Liberal MP in 1890 and built a reputation as a radical reformer, often clashing with traditional elites.

Domestic Reforms

• As Chancellor of the Exchequer (1908–1915), he introduced groundbreaking social reforms:
  • Old Age Pensions Act (1908): provided income for the elderly poor.
  • National Insurance Act (1911): gave workers health insurance and unemployment benefits.
  • Labour Exchanges: helped people find jobs.
• To fund these, he introduced the “People’s Budget” (1909), taxing the wealthy and landowners.
• The House of Lords blocked the budget, triggering a constitutional crisis that led to the Parliament Act (1911), which limited the Lords’ veto powers.

Role in the First World War

• As Minister of Munitions (1915), he reorganized industry to supply weapons.
• In 1916, he replaced Asquith as Prime Minister, leading Britain through the difficult later years of the war.
• He worked closely with generals and allies, including Clemenceau of France, and became known as a dynamic wartime leader.

Post-War Achievements and Problems

• Represented Britain at the Paris Peace Conference (1919), where he pushed for moderate terms with Germany but also promised to “make Germany pay.”
• At home, he promised “a land fit for heroes,” but post-war economic problems and unemployment undermined public confidence.
• He led a coalition government with the Conservatives until 1922, when scandals and divisions forced him to resign.

Legacy

• Lloyd George is remembered as the architect of Britain’s early welfare state, laying the foundations for later social reforms.
• His wartime leadership was decisive, but his post-war government struggled to meet high expectations.
• He remained an influential political figure until his death in 1945.