1: Further parliamentary reform (1852-70) Flashcards
after 1850, what names did the parties go by
whigs now liberals
tories now conservatives
many ‘whigs’ after 1850 remained..
positively inclined to introduce further reforms to enhance their party’s success
altruistic figures in the 1850s
called ‘radical reformers’
joseph hume - had produced a reform bill in every session of parliament between 1848 and 52
motive for reform had started to change
previously was only from self-interested preservation (brought on by WC discontent)
conservative thought was now less strong
population increase
1821 - 24 million
1861 - 31 million
many of these extra lived in urban areas
more people living in urban areas..
the property qualification was still anything more than £10 a year
meant the majority couldn’t vote
the 1832 act was seriously out of date
efforts to extend the franchise 1850s
1852 - Lord John Russell proposed changing it from 10 —> £6 but this was rejected. this was rejected again in 1854 and in 1860
1858 significance
abolition of property qualifications for MPs
why was reform still not happening in the late 1850s/early 1860s even though the liberals were in power?
1859 - liberals returned to power under Lord Palmerston
reform largely ignored as foreign policy took priority
john bright
birmingham MP
started a series of speeches in 1858 promoting reform
(he was also cofounder of the anti corn law league in 1839)
what did the gov still continue to think about the wc
ironically that they weren’t capable of the ‘selfless service’ which a representative government demanded
what did the american civil war do
debunked the myth that the working class were wholly selfish
cotton
since 1825 cotton was britain’s biggest import
in lancashire it provided work for more than 355,000
raw cotton imports stopping in 1861
when the confederate ports in the US were blockaded
‘cotton famine’
cotton famine
thousands laid off work
BUT they stoically supported the anti-slavery principle and made the best of what they could
william gladstone and the cotton famine
he vistied lancashire and was impressed
he became convinced that the WC were ready for the vote
reform union vs national reform league: years
reform union 1864
nfl 1865
reform union vs national reform league: formed by who?
RU - progressive MC who wanted better cooperation with WC
NFL - WC
reform union vs national reform league: aims
RU wanted to extend the franchise to all male ratepayers, promote an equal seat distribution and have a secret ballot
NFL were more radical, campaigning for universal manhood suffrage and secret ballot
reform union vs national reform league: membership
RU - mainly liberal minded MC employers (who believed that by empowering the WC british society would be enhanced)
NRL - more widespread support (attracted ex-chartists and trade unionists although radical unionists were banned)
reform union vs national reform league: influence
RU - had more money and included prominent employers (e.g. Samuel Morley - a wool manufacturer)
^ meant the gov couldn’t ignore the reform union
president of the national reform league
edmond beales
reform union vs national reform league: methods
RU - respectable lobby group (established links with politicians)
NRL - used demonstration as its main method (although it was still respectable)
timing of the national reform league
formed 1865
took advantage of the more open political climate
sudden surge of reform when and why?
when palmerston dies in 1865 and Russell becomes PM again
adullamites
people against gladstones reforms
gladstones 1866 reform bill
proposed to reduce the borough franchise qualification to £7 a year
this would enfranchise 200,000 skilled workers
predictably the conservatives rejected (didn’t want mass liberal party support)
1867 reform act - who introduced it
disraeli - conservative
1867 reform act
7 boroughs disenfranchised, 45 seats taken from small boroughs, franchise extended (to all male borough householders if they had lived there for a year/county landowners worth £5 a year)
how many were enfranchised in 1867
more than 1 million
1866 - divisions in the liberal party
divisions over how far to reform. in an effort to dilute the bill, opponents sought an amendment which reduced those enfranchised. when this bill failed, John Russell was forced to resign amid party division and popular pressure (hyde park riots)
hyde park riots
1866
Reform League meeting declared illegal
clash with police
partly caused john russell’s resignation
1868 election
loss for the conservatives - even though disraeli introduced the bill!
corruption post 1867
hard to use corruption in elections with 2.5 million voters
campaigning therefore increased (mainly liberal party)
the one year occupancy (1867 reform act) discriminated against how many?
more than 30% of the WC
