Paper 3, Option 34.2: Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c1780–1939 - 5 Depression and the dole: poverty in the inter-war years, 1920–39 — Edexcel A-Level History
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Paper 3, Option 34.2: Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c1780–1939 - 5 Depression and the dole: poverty in the inter-war years, 1920–39 explained
Paper 3, Option 34.2: Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c1780–1939 - 5 Depression and the dole: poverty in the inter-war years, 1920–39 covers 3 specification points, including The problem of poverty in the 1920s and 30s;… and The impact of the Jarrow March and hunger…. Open a point below for its explanation and revision guidance.
The problem of poverty in the 1920s and 30s; the impact of the decline of heavy industry; the impact of the Wall Street Crash and the Depression.
In the 1920s and 1930s, poverty persisted despite inter-war welfare reforms. The decline of heavy industry—coal, shipbuilding, iron and steel, textiles—led to mass unemployment in regions like South Wales, Clydeside, and the North East. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 triggered a global depression, reducing demand for British exports and worsening unemployment, which peaked at over 3 million in 1932. The means test (1931) and the Unemployment Act 1934 created hardship. Poverty was characterised by low wages, unemployment benefit cuts, and regional disparities. The impact included malnutrition, poor health, and social unrest, but also spurred government responses like the Special Areas Act 1934.
The impact of the Jarrow March and hunger marches; the role of Ellen Wilkinson.
Inter-war unemployment produced organised protest. Hunger marches, notably the National Unemployed Workers' Movement marches of 1922, 1930 and 1932, and the Jarrow Crusade of October 1936, publicised distress in depressed areas. Jarrow's 200 marchers carried a petition to Westminster; the town's shipyard closure had caused mass unemployment. The march was orderly and gained sympathy, but the government refused to receive the petition, so immediate policy impact was limited. Ellen Wilkinson, Labour MP for Jarrow, helped organise and publicise the Crusade, linking local hardship to national debate. Assess impact by distinguishing publicity and public opinion from legislative change, and by comparing hunger marches with Jarrow's disciplined, non-partisan approach.
Government measures in the 1930s, including the impact of the Means Test and the ‘Dole’, the Special Areas Act 1934 and the Unemployment Act 1934.
In the 1930s governments tried to manage mass unemployment while limiting spending. The Means Test, applied from 1931 to extended unemployment benefit, assessed household income and savings, so families with other earners could lose benefit; it was widely resented and caused hardship. The 'dole' meant unemployment benefit or transitional payments, often inadequate and subject to conditions. The Special Areas Act 1934 gave limited aid and commissioners to depressed regions such as South Wales and Tyneside, but funding was small. The Unemployment Act 1934 reorganised provision through the Unemployment Assistance Board, separating insurance-based benefit from means-tested assistance. Assess each measure by its aims, operation and effects on poverty.
Your focus
- Describe the causes and extent of poverty in inter-war Britain.
- Analyse the impact of the decline of heavy industry and the Wall Street Crash.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of government responses to poverty in the 1920s and 1930s.
Show all 9 objectives
- Explain the causes, organisation and aims of the Jarrow March and hunger marches.
- Assess the impact of the Jarrow March and hunger marches on public opinion and government policy.
- Explain and evaluate Ellen Wilkinson's role in the Jarrow March and in publicising poverty in the depressed areas.
- Explain the operation and impact of the Means Test and the 'dole' in the 1930s.
- Explain the aims and limited effects of the Special Areas Act 1934 and the Unemployment Act 1934.
- Assess how far government measures in the 1930s addressed poverty and unemployment.
Paper 3, Option 34.2: Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c1780–1939 - 5 Depression and the dole: poverty in the inter-war years, 1920–39 exam tips
Marking Points
- Poverty in the 1920s and 30s: mass unemployment, low wages, inadequate benefits, and regional deprivation in industrial areas.
- Decline of heavy industry: coal, shipbuilding, iron and steel, textiles suffered from foreign competition and outdated technology, leading to structural unemployment.
- Wall Street Crash 1929: triggered global depression, reduced international trade, and caused a slump in British exports, worsening unemployment.
- Impact of the Depression: unemployment peaked at over 3 million in 1932; means test caused hardship; regional disparities widened.
- Government responses: Unemployment Act 1934, Special Areas Act 1934, but poverty remained severe.
- Explains the causes and organisation of hunger marches, including the role of the National Unemployed Workers' Movement and the context of mass unemployment in depressed areas.
- Explains the origins, route and purpose of the Jarrow Crusade of October 1936, including the petition and the closure of Palmer's shipyard.
- Assesses the impact of the Jarrow March, distinguishing short-term publicity and public sympathy from limited immediate government response.
- Explains Ellen Wilkinson's role as Labour MP for Jarrow, including her involvement in organising, publicising and defending the marchers.
- Compares the Jarrow March with earlier hunger marches in terms of discipline, political affiliation and public reception.
- Evaluates how far protest changed government policy, linking to the Means Test, the dole and Special Areas legislation.
- Explains the operation of the Means Test from 1931, including assessment of household income and its effects on extended benefit and transitional payments.
- Explains what the 'dole' meant in practice, including unemployment benefit and transitional payments, and why it was often inadequate.
- Explains the aims and limited impact of the Special Areas Act 1934, including commissioners and aid to depressed regions.
- Explains the Unemployment Act 1934, including the creation of the Unemployment Assistance Board and the separation of insurance and assistance.
- Assesses the impact of these measures on poverty, hardship and public attitudes in the 1930s.
- Evaluates how far government measures addressed the causes and consequences of inter-war unemployment.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Use specific examples of declining industries and regions to illustrate impact.
- 💡Link the Wall Street Crash to the wider Depression and its effects on Britain.
- 💡Discuss both economic and social impacts of poverty, such as health and unrest.
- 💡Plan around the two clauses: impact of the marches and role of Wilkinson, then link them to the wider question of poverty and the dole.
- 💡Use precise evidence such as the 1936 date, the 200 marchers, the petition and the shipyard closure to support judgements about impact.
- 💡Distinguish clearly between publicity, public opinion and government policy when judging how far the marches mattered.
- 💡Organise answers by measure, then assess impact on poverty and on government policy, using specific dates and terms accurately.
- 💡Use the distinction between insurance-based benefit and means-tested assistance to explain why the 1930s measures were controversial.
- 💡Support judgements with examples of regional hardship and the limited scale of Special Areas aid.
Common Mistakes
- Error: stating that the Wall Street Crash caused the decline of heavy industry. Correction: heavy industry decline began in the early 1920s due to foreign competition and outdated technology; the Crash exacerbated it.
- Error: claiming unemployment was uniform across Britain. Correction: it was concentrated in specific regions like South Wales, Scotland, and the North East.
- Error: confusing the means test with the dole. Correction: the means test assessed household income to determine benefit eligibility, often reducing payments.
- Treating the Jarrow March as a hunger march organised by the National Unemployed Workers' Movement; correct this by explaining that Jarrow was a town-backed crusade with a petition and a more disciplined, less confrontational approach.
- Claiming the march achieved immediate legislative change; correct this by arguing that its main impact was publicity and public sympathy, while the government declined to receive the petition.
- Reducing Ellen Wilkinson to a symbolic figure; correct this by explaining her practical role in organising, publicising and representing the marchers' case.
- Confusing the Means Test with the 'dole'; correct this by explaining that the Means Test assessed household resources for extended or transitional payments, while the 'dole' was the colloquial term for unemployment benefit or payments.
- Assuming the Special Areas Act 1934 solved regional depression; correct this by explaining that its funding and powers were limited and its impact was modest.
- Treating the Unemployment Act 1934 as simply abolishing the Poor Law; correct this by explaining that it reorganised unemployment assistance through the Unemployment Assistance Board and separated insurance from means-tested assistance.