Liberalism and the Social Problem

A sequence of political speeches that defend a Liberal programme combining free trade with expanded social legislation. The speaker reviews recent government measures and colonial settlements, confronts constitutional issues such as the upper house and imperial preference, and outlines practical reforms for industry and labour: reduced working hours, anti‑sweating measures, labour exchanges, unemployment insurance, and national insurance funded through the budget. The addresses argue for pragmatic state intervention to raise national efficiency while rejecting doctrinaire socialism, present the budget as the linchpin of social policy, and contrast progressive regulation with both laissez-faire and protectionist alternatives.