Breadth Study Topic 2

Question 1

How did the Tories and Whig’s change ideologically between 1780 and 1830?

Answer 1

• Tories desired to preserve status quo (monarchy, church), oppose reform, strong on law & order (repress radicals), protection of private property. Became more moderate in the 1820s
• Whigs were more receptive to reform, reduce crown patronage, tolerant of non-Anglicans and abolish slavery

Question 2

How did appeal begin to differ between the Whigs and the Tories between 1780-1830?

Answer 2

• Tories more aligned with Anglicans and agricultural interests
• WHigs promoting interests if bankers, merchants, non-conformists and supporters of reform

Question 3

What caused the shifts in the political parties in the late 18th/early 19th century?

Answer 3

• Leadership (Tories - Pitt from 1783, Whigs - Fox)
• Electoral fortunes with mainly Tory wins during this point
• French revolution, American revolution

Question 4

How did the Tories and Whig’s change ideologically between 1830-46?

Answer 4

These differences deepened
• Tories divide into moderates and ultra, become Conservatives
• Whigs embrace more social policies - abolition, working conditions, education, poverty. Also modernising - local administrative reform
• Litchfield House Compact (1835) - whigs agree to work with Irish and Radical MPs (long term factor in creation of liberal party)

Question 5

Describe the change in appeal of the parties change between 1830 - 46

Answer 5

• Conservatives dominate county seats, boroughs are more contested between Whigs, Radicals and Tories
• 1846 Corn Law repeal and split between Peelites Iincl. Gladstone) and protectionists (Disraeli) leads to 20 year wilderness

Question 6

What happened to the organisation of parties between 1830-46?

Answer 6

• Conservatives first to arrange professional electoral agents in key areas (monitor electoral role, organise meetings, distribute handbills)
• Conservatives set up Carton Club in London - raise money, find candidates, ensure turn out
• Whig Reform Club follows - initially to set out policy, after 1841 to improve local organisation, promote voter registration and support candidates

Question 7

What policies were responsible for the shifts in parties between 1830-46?

Answer 7

• Catholic emancipation split Tories
• 1832 reform act and whig reforms (eg Municipal Corporations Act) - different views of reform and need to appeal to new voters
• Corn Law repeal but
• Religion and Ireland due to funding of Catholic priests in Ireland and defeat of Irish Coercion Bill)

Question 8

How did individuals affect the shifts in parties between 1830-46?

Answer 8

• Peel - shift of Tories to conservatives (Tamworth was his constituency) and leads split over corn laws
• Disraeli also responsible for this split

Question 9

How did events during 1830 - 46 affect parties?

Answer 9

• Irish Potato famine
• Electoral fortunes in mid 1830 explains the split in party
• 1841 election result prompts the whigs to follow the COnservative organisation

Question 10

How did the Tories and Whig’s change ideologically between 1846 - 86?

Answer 10

• Development of Liberal Party - Whigs, radicals and Irish MPs, ideology grows under Gladstone. Key policies include retrenchment, peaceful modern policy, state modernisation, equality, social reform and political reform
• Conservatives driven to modernisation by Disraeli - ONe Nation ideas include social reform whilst continuing to defend Anglican church and interventionist foreign policy, but divisions over free trade or protection

Question 11

What was the appeal of the two parties between 1846 - 86?

Answer 11

• Liberals have broad coalition but problems with conflicting interests and need to appease all. Still retain strength in boroughs
• COnservatives appeal to working classes and urban voters increases alongside brewers/drinkers

Question 12

How did the organisation of the Conservative party advance between 1846 - 86?

Answer 12

• Led the way 1867 and election failure with a top-down approach
• Set up Conservative National Union in 1867, a central London office
• First national party agent appointed (Gorst) - increased number of associations espc. in urban/industrial areas
• Increased national coordination and meetings, lots of social activities at a low cost
• Primrose League set up 1883, middle-class subscription with activities including campaigning. Included women on an equal basis - contributed to upper-class sufferage movement. Membership went from under 1000 to 1 mil in 1891 and 2 mil by 1910

Question 13

How did the organisation of the Liberals advance between 1846 - 86?

Answer 13

• Forced to respond after 1874 but with bottom- up approach
• Start with Liberal Associations - aim to attarct and retain working-class support
• Lots of social activities and support liberal reps in general elections and local ones
• Develop via the National Liberal Federation

Question 14

Which individuals were responsible for the development of parties between 1846 - 86?

Answer 14

• Gladstone (death of Palmerston and retirement of Russell)
• Disraeli (with Derby’s support)
• Salisbury
• Sir John Gorst - ran Conservative Central Office. Sustained order in new tactics
• Joseph Chamberlain - pioneer of local Liberal Party in Birmingham. Focuses on tracking and advising voters to maximise liberal success

Question 15

How can the reform legislation that was passed 1846 to 1886 be seen to contribute to the change in parties during this period?

Answer 15

• Franchise extension/redistribution - new need to manage registration and ensure voter turn out
• Anti-corruption measure - required more professional local agents to do account/follow rules

Question 16

How did the ideologies of the parties shift between 1886-1928?

Answer 16

• Gladstones failure over Home Rule and Liberal defeat in 1886 split 78 unionists off who joined the Conservatives
• Liberal divisions occurred whilst conservative unity remained late 1890s but these both reverse going into the 1900s
• New Liberalism - social reform and welfare (children, unemployed, workers, retirees). Coalition during war followed by liberal declines and Labour growth

Question 17

How did the appeal of the Conservatives and Liberals changed between 1886 and 1928?

Answer 17

• Salibury intervention over 1885 Redistribution Act helped to create Villa Toryism (suburban voters)
• Decline in liberal appeal post WW1 due to the rise in Labour

Question 18

How did party organisation change after 1886?

Answer 18

• 1918 Act led parties to realise they needed mass membership
• Conservative strength remained (clubs and involvement of women)
• Liberals struggled - middle classes moving towards Conservatives and working class towards Labour

Question 19

Which individuals and what events contributed to the changes to political parties after 1886?

Answer 19

• Gladstone unable to keep party factions together, challenges by Chamberlain (radical) and Hartington (Whigs)
• Chamberlain also contributed to the Conservative split with his tariff reform proposals
• EVENTS - 1910 House of Lord Crisis and election, Ireland and WW1. Suffragettes and Trade Unionism movements
• Creation of single member constituencies also contributed

Question 20

How did the Labour Party develop after 1893?

Answer 20

• Marxist origins, 1880s Fabians Society and Social Democratic Foundatino
• Initial growth due to desire for working class representation (votes and candidates)
• Keir Hardie and others did not reference socialism to sustain broad appeal

Question 21

What was the appeal of the Labour Party?

Answer 21

Party classed based but also a collection of various groups with varying radical views

Question 22

How was the Labour Party organised?

Answer 22

• Candidates funded by Trade Unions for campaign costs
• TU’s also helped with salaries if candidates elected prior to 1918
• Lib Lab pacts of 1903 helped to launch the party

Question 23

What helped to see the rise in the Labour Party after 1893?

Answer 23

• Growing franchise, working class majority constituencies, TU power increasing can be seen to have contributed
• Emerging weaknesses of the liberals and their electoral fortunes in 1890s, as well as 1906 election seeing LCR and ILP join together
• WW1 accelerated change (deaths of working class men) and resulted in 1918

Question 24

How did the aristocracy have control in parliament in 1780 - 1832?

Answer 24

• Landed intrested influenced both houses of parliament with inherited positions within the lords and only rich able to afford to become MPS
• Placemen in over 100 boroughs (land owned by the king)
• Rotten boroughs
• Significant impact of money - voter treating, no secret ballots
• development of radical ideas led to increasing questioning of system but no real constraints of influence

Question 25

Why did aristocratic influence remain strong in parliament between 1780 and 1832?

Answer 25

• Tory dominance
• Napoleonic wars were a distraction
• Political radicals had vert little power to influence government policy

Question 26

How did aristocratic power within parliament change between 1832 and 1865?

Answer 26

• Increase in county seats arguably increases aristocratic influence
• Chando Clause - gave votes to tenants of agricultural areas who would vote with interests of their landowner
• Abolition of rotten boroughs did slightly dilute power
• But 70% of MPs still had ties to peers or landed gentry

Question 27

Why did 1832 not do much to reduce the influence of the aristocracy?

Answer 27

• Whig self interest - promote their interest, the more aristocratic of the two parties 
• Middle class enfranchisement was to 'reform to preserve' aristocratic power 
BUT an argument it decreased aristocratic power with the threat to introduce new liberal peers, establishing HoC as more powerful than HoL

Question 28

How did the power of the aristocracy between 1866 and 1905 change?

Answer 28

• Household suffrage (boroughs 1867, counties 1884) extended franchise beyond control of the aristocrats but still could be controlled by parties
• Secret Ballot Act and Corrupt Practises Act reduced ability to control tenants votes (due to secrecy and stricter laws about bribery)
• Redistribution Act professionalised parties, produced better candidates and less aristocratic candidates
• Aristocratic influence over governments remained e.g 10 peers in 1895 cabinet

Question 29

What was the causes of the decline in aristocratic power between 1865 and 1905?

Answer 29

• Reforms - 1867, 1872,1883,1884,1885
• Economic changes (imported corn & impact on agricultural profit reduced wealth of aristocrats, thus their influence
• Increased franchise reduced legitimacy and the power of the Lords - failed attempt to block 1880s reform but still block home rule

Question 30

What happens to aristocratic power after 1905?

Answer 30

• Only 10% of MPS from aristocratic/gentry families
• Parliaments Act significantly reduces the power of the Lords
• Increase in working class power in parliament with the ride of the Labour Party
• 1910 constitutional crisis seen as the Peers vs the people
• Retain some power - lords in the cabinet continues with 1/3 of Baldwin’s cabinet in 1924

Question 31

What caused the decline in aristocratic power from 1906 onwards?

Answer 31

• Liberal social policy and opposition to it in the lords backfired, Parliaments Act significantly weakened the lords
• 1918 and WW1 - extension of franchise, payment of MPs resulted in growth of Labour and social change
• But some aristocratic power did remain after 1928

Question 32

What were the key changes to the powers of the crown 1780 to 1837?

Answer 32

Overall little change but decline in popularity and loss in influence. Radicals are still pro-monarchy, lang. defends crown
• Dunning’s Motion - criticises crown influence and spending, reduction in sinecure
• Catholic emancipation - G the IV backs down against Wellington
• 1832 - W the IV agrees to Grey’s demands, reduces no. of placemen
• Failure of Peel’s 100 day govt. - last time monarch chose PM over parliament

Question 33

How did the actions of monarchs from 1780 to 1837 contribute to a change in power?

Answer 33

• G the III - keen to maintain power, esp. PM appointment but grows increasingly ill, power goes to Prince Regent
• G the IV - meddles a lot in politics, favours Tories, opposed Catholic emancipation. Increases debt and hugely disliked
• W the IV - chooses Peel as PM in Jan 1835 against parliaments wishes

Question 34

What were the key changes to the powers of the crown 1837 - 1871?

Answer 34

Again retains power but increasingly unpopular
• Bedchamber Crisis (1839) - Victoria does not wish to be dictated too or neutral
• Involved in dismissal of Palmerston in 1851 and appointment of Aberdeen in 1852
• Kept informed, contact with Cabinet ministers and others
• Growth in Republicanism - growth in clubs, Sir Charles Bradlaugh (we pay and get nothing) and then Sir Charles Dilke proposed abolition in 1871

Question 35

How did people view Victoria 1837 to 1871?

Answer 35

• Started iff less unpopular than her ‘wicked uncles’
• But a woman, married a foreigner (Albert seen to be trying to expand powers, disliked by aristocracy)
• Albert’s death in 1861 a turning point - reatreats from public life and a rumour of an affair
• Republicanism at its height, over 60MPs vote to cut/remove allowance for Victoria’s children

Question 36

What happened to the powers of the crown between 1871 and 1901?

Answer 36

Recovery - popularity increases, but a shift towards being a symbolic role
• Victoria more visible, new image of monarchy. Disraeli and the ‘Empress of India’
• By 1873 Dilke had apologised
• Actual power declines - doesn’t want Gladstone as PM, opposed reform and foreign policy, threatens to disolve parliament but doesn’t, gets Rosebery as MP in 1894

Question 37

Why were there changes to the popularity of the crown from 1871 and 1901?

Answer 37

• Survival of an assassination attempt and recovery of Prince of Wale after almost dying
• 1874 election - Victoria likes Disraeli
• Empress image, two Jubilees, monarchy becomes national institution to be proud of, bulidngs and monuments (Albert, Bucks House and Westminister) and photos all helped

Question 38

What happened to the monarchy’s power post Victoria?

Answer 38

• Choosing PM now a rubber stamp, (E the VIII and G the V don’t attempt to influence) increasingly evident that power resides with elected representatives (Parliament Act Crisis, pressure on G the V and he complies)
• Influence in certain circumstance - G the V considers using Royal Veto over IHR), Ramsey McDonald appointment in 1923 after no clear winner

Question 39

Describe the image of the monarchy after Victoria

Answer 39

• It endures - some strength in symbolic power and this leaves potential for some influence
• E the VII - seen as lazy, greedy, always on holiday but enjoyed/fulfilled ceremonial aspect of role
• G the V - not pleasant, hardworking or that bright - but viewed as dedicated tolerant family man

Question 40

What changes to the social composition of the Common occurred between 1780 - 1832?

Answer 40

• Catholic emancipation in 1829 allowed Irish MPs (allowed in Irish MPs but still from a privileged background
• Overall not that much change, aristocratic power remains, lots of new peerages created by Pitt 1780 to 790

Question 41

How did 1832, 1858 and 1867 change the social composition of the Commons?

Answer 41

• 1832 - little impact, increased county seats and helped country landed. 70 still controlled by large landowners, seats bought (Aberdeen paid £2K for son in 1840), no influx of middle-class MPs. From 456 liberal MPs 1859-74 = 198 large landowners, 151 businessmen
• 1858 - some change, one of the points of the Charter, little impact on immediate change but with 1867 more impactful
• 1867 - despite redistribution to towns limited change, contested seats back to only 50% from 70% by 1850, still expensive to run as an MP. 1874 less than 25% from industrial/commercial backgrounds

Question 42

How did the acts between 1868 and 1910 affect the social composition of the commons?

Answer 42

• 1872 Secret Ballot - frees voters in theory, but bribery and loyalty remain
• 1883 Corrupt Practices - resolves issue of corruption with penalties and enforcing penalties
1884 and 1885 - greater movement but slow impact, remainder of the century is landed gentlemen and professionals (eg lawyers) and businessmen. After 1885 business interests outnumbered landed in Commons
• Average of 136 unopposed seats (20%) until 1910
• Still exclusion of working-class MPs, Unions sponsorship of Labour MPs helped - 2 in 2874, 11 by 1900

Question 43

How did the acts between 1911 and 1928 change social composition in the commons?

Answer 43

• 1911 payment of MPs - All could afford to run, significant increase in middle-class MPS, 60 Labour MPs in 1918, 56 from working class backgrounds - 45/60 left school by 13. Had a ministry of 191 MPs in 1924
• 1918 - payment of returning officers, fair sized constituencies helped, women could also stand as MPs after 1918, put in different act that was rushed through for election. 1 woman in 1918, 2 in 1922 8 in 1923, 8 in 1924 but wealthy privileged women