'a Political Failure and a Butcher of the Dardanelles!' How Far Do You Agree with This Assessment of Churchill's Career Between 1902 & 1918?

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Between 1902 and 1918, Winston Churchill experienced many highs and lows in politics, from being elected as Home Secretary in 1910 to the disastrous Gallipoli campaign of 1915. But was Churchill truly a political failure? Between 1906 and 1910, it can be seen that Churchill was a great believer in social reform. Social reform is a set of political changes that are designed to bring about changes in everyday society. He joined a group of young reformers, a group which included David Lloyd George, who was to be Prime Minister through the First World War. This group left their mark by a series of welfare reforms that were the beginning of the welfare state – a social system whereby the state takes responsibility for health, education and employment. The fact that these changes, coupled with Churchill's mutual agreement with the government on building new dreadnoughts, managed to alleviate Churchill into the Cabinet after being in politics for just eight years suggests that Churchill wasn't a political failure. In 1911, Churchill was moved from the position of Home Secretary to First Lord of the Admiralty. This position gave him the power of the Royal Navy. This was always a civilian role, whereas the First Sea Lord took professional charge of the Navy. This role gave Churchill the power over the most dominant Navy in the world, and access to all parts of Britain's empire, since the Navy was the most efficient way to keep in contact with faraway parts such as India and South Africa. The fact Churchill was given such a prominent role in the government also suggests that Churchill wasn't a failure in politics. However, two dark incidents of Churchill's political career took place between 1910 and 1911. Firstly, the Ton-y-Pandy incident of 1910, where Welsh miners went on strike. Churchill ordered that the army be sent in to break the disturbances up. Although the

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