1- The British Political System c1783 Flashcards
What parliamentary system did the British use?
Constitutional monarchy
What did politcal power rely on?
Patronage between King and Parliament
Who was the King in 1783?
King George III
What bill restricted the interference of the King in politics?
1689- Bill of rights
Could the King still interfere with poltics?
Power to dismiss and choose ministers
summon and disolve parliament
veto legislation
What were MPs like?
belonged to the gentry.
represented the interests of the landowners and gentry in their constituencies
What was the purpose of the House of Commons?
control taxation
check on the executive
Was there a stable majority?
no- lots of interest groups and factions
What was the Privy council?
group of advisers who acted as a bridge between king and parliament
appointed for life
became too large to manage
What happened to the Privy council?
Turned into the cabinet
Why was King George III weakened in 1782?
Loss of the American colonies
Who was appointed PM in 1783?
William Pitt aged 24
What was the electorate based on?
ownership of property
How peers where in the House of Lords in 1783?
220
How many people could vote in 1783?
250,000. there was no uniform system of a franchise.
What was a 40 shilling freeholder?
Someone who could vote on the basis of owning freehold land that costed 40 shillings a year
What was a potwalloper borough?
Ownership of your own hearth gave you the right to vote
what was a ‘scot and lot’ borough?
right to vote based on who payed local tax
What did a ‘pocket borough’ mean
it was controlled by the entirely by the landowner
What was a rotten borough?
places like Banbury- small amount of voters but returned two MPs
Was Scotland equally represented?
No- 45 Mps for a population of 1.6 million
How often where general elections held?
every 7 years
What was the role of the Lord Lieutenant?
responisble for local law and order and defence.
What was the role of justices of the peace?
symbolise authority
administer justice - often harsh punishments for petty crimes
