Why attitudes changed towards poverty by the 1900s

• Booth and Rowntree


  Proved to politicians through statistical facts that poverty was not the fault of the individual but due to factors out with their control
• Boer War


  Showed politicians the poor health of the nation, made them worry about the quality of their fighting stock for future wars
• German model


  Proved to British politicians that state intervention created a more efficient and healthier nation
• Rise of Labour


  To prevent a potential loss of votes the Liberals passed some of their most revolutionary reforms
• New Liberalism


  Supported the findings of Booth and Rowntree and argued that state welfare was essential to tackle the problem of poverty