2nd Great Reform Act(not included) Flashcards
Why was there no Parliamentary reform from 1832 - 66?
Poorly organised radicals
Many minority governments so not much happened
Reforms were wuickly rejected
Important leaders disagreed with reform
What was the 1866 proposal by Russel?
- £7 qualification in boroughs, which included some working class
- A drop from £50 - 14 in counties, allowing 400,000, mostly workingmen
Why did the Liberal Bill of 1866 fail?
- Conservatives didn’t want a liberal advantage
- Gladstoonr lost control of the Party, which caused resentment
- Many thiight Bright was behind thr legislation
- More conservative whigs rebelled
What happened to the government after the Liberal Bill?
The Lberal goverbment resighned and was replaced by Derby and Disraeli, who had a minority government
Why was Parliamentary reform on the table in the mid 1860’s?
- Radicals thought the first GRA was a sell out
- Disraeli thought that it would bring more support to the Party
- Wanted moderate parliamentary reform to stop radicals
- Would make whichever party released it more favourable to the masses, securing more votes
- There was a large increase in the population of urban areas, from 24 - 29 mill from 1831 - 61, and this wasn’t represented in the political system
What was surprising about the 2nd GRA in 1867?
- It was passed by Conservatives even though it was progressive, which was a Liberal thing to to do
- It allowed the working class the vote
- It was passed with both Liberal and Conservative support
- Queen Vic wanted the reform
- It was a minority government
How much credit to the bills passing goes to Disreali?
- Disraeli got it passed the Conservatives
- Disraeli advocated foe the idea
- Disraeli kept the back benchers together
- Disraeli pressured Derby into it
Other notables - - Derby was the PM
- Liberals filled in the extra votes needed to pass the law
- Outside parliamentary pressure helped in its passing
What were the features of the 2nd Reform Act?
- Allowed household suffrage for those who had personal payment of rates in boroughs
- Decreased the vote in counties from £50 - 15
- Redistribution of 45 seats, Leeds and Liverpool got a 3rd seat
- 7 seats went to Scotland
- 53 smaller borough seats were abolished
- Ireland boroughs decreased to £4 and £12 in counties
What features of the 2nd RA changed after a Hyde Park demonstration by the Reform League?
- Decreased the vote in counties from £15 - 12
What did Gladstone attempt to do in April 1867?
Tried to destroy the Bill with a wrecking amendment, which would limit the franchise. This was stopped by the tea room revolt by moderate Liberals who liked the suffrage
What was the effect of the 2nd RA on the electorate number?
Increased from 1.36 - 2.46 million voters, with more industrial workers getting the vote in boroughs
1 - 7 in boroughs could vote
1 - 4 in counties could vote
What was the effect of the 2nd RA on the ballot system?
Nothing, still open and corrupt
What was the effect of the 2nd RA on the distribution of seats?
Less small boroughs but not equal in distribution. Both Tiverton and Glasgow had 2 MPs, but Glasgow has 500,000 people and Tiverton only 10,000
What was the effect of the 2nd RA on party organisation?
They were more organised, with more societies such as the ‘National Union of Conservative and Constitutional Association’ or ‘National Liberal Federation’, both in 1867
What was the effect of the 2nd RA on the working class?
Although they had the vote, it wasn’t fully great because they couldn’t go and sit in Parliament
