Britain Breadth 1: Reform Acts Flashcards
In which year was the Failure of Pitt’s Proposals?
1785
What were the reasons/motivations for Pitt’s Proposals?
Growing calls for P reform due to criticism of War against independence with America, and the use of patronage was seen as corruption.
What were the terms of Pitt’s Proposals?
Disenfranchise 36 ofthe worst rotten boroughs and redistribute their 72 seats to London and counties
How much change did Pitt’s Proposals bring?
Bill failed - George III opposed it and did not get a majority in P
What was the wider impact of Pitt’s Proposals?
Led to LCS forming in 1792, led by Thomas Hardy, calling for universal manhood suffrage. Calls for reform died down during wars w/ France, until 1815.
What year was the Great Reform Act passed?
1832
What were the reasons/motivations for the GRA?
Actions of political unions eg BPU causing greater external pressure, civil unrest eg riots breaking out in Bristol
What were the terms of the GRA?
56 rotten/pocket boroughs lost both MPs, 30 lost 1 MP - 143 seats to redistribute. 22 new boroughs created in the North eg Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield - 19 new boroughs w/ 1 MP, 64 new county seats. Electorate increased from 478,000 to 813,000
How much change did the GRA cause?
end of rotten boroughs, representation of urban and industrial areas, many middle classes could vote, electoral registers introduced. however 70 pocket boroughs remained - 31 had fewer than 300 votes, less than 20% of adult males could vote, working class excluded, MPs were still aristocrats, landed classes still dominated elections.
What were wider impacts of the GRA?
Lords were no longer as powerful bc of larger electorate, monarch could no longer rely on patronage due to importance of public opinion. HoC became arguably more powerful than HoL. Led to emergence of Conservative party in 1834 and also chartism.
When was the Abolition of MP property qualification act?
1858
what were reasons/motives for passing the abolition of MP property qualification act?
Chartist demands in the 1850s, and 300,000 more voters on electoral registers led to increased political pressure.
terms of the abolition of MP property qualification act?
MPs no longer had to own property
How much change did the property qualification act cause?
still no salary for MPs - meant it was virtually impossible for someone w/o private income or very high disposable income to become an MP. almost no change as a result.
wider impacts of the property qualification act?
Minimal impact on HoC, but was the first Chartist demand to be agreed and acknowledged - indicative of further change.
