Britain issue 2 how democratic was britain

Question 1

universal suffrage

Answer 1

evidence:
- in 1851, only 1 in 5 men could vote; 2nd reform act 1867, gave the vote to male adult house holders.

• representation of the people act 1918, men over 21 and some women
• 1884 third reform act. distinction between boroughs and counties were removed and all men paying 310 per annum could vote.

analysis:
- increased electorate e.g glasgows voters increased from 18,000 to 47,000

• 21 million total voters, 8.4 million women.
• increased electorate to 5 million

counter analysis:
- not all women were enfranchised.

evaluation:
- women weren’t fully enfranchised until 1928.
- “War smoothed the way for democracy.” - A.J.P Taylor

Question 2

fairness

Answer 2

evidence:
- secret ballot act 1872, votes were counted in secret which reduced bribery.

• second reform act 1867 redistributed parliamentary seats to more populated areas.

analysis:
- voters could not be lured in or pressurised

• more populated areas were better represented , e.g extra MPs were given to manchester and london, which both had growing populations

counter analysis:
choose one
- 1885 redistribution of seats act , MPs rose from 627 to 650
- 1883 corrupt and illegal practices act, limited campaign money on elections

evaluation:

• 1911 parliament act - mps salaries

“The act was of major importance in the development of the constitution… democracy was safeguarded..an important step in the reduction of the powers of the aristocracy.” 1911 parliament act

Question 3

access to information

Answer 3

evidence:
- 1876 education act - children under ten banned from work, and an education certificate was required to work

• 1902 education act, got rid of school boards and made all education government funded

analysis:
- britain became more democratic as education was practically compulsory for them to earn money, leaving many people literate.

• this made education more widely available with many of the working class receiving secondary education for the first time.

counter analysis:
- children over ten would have still been allowed to work after becoming literate enough, meaning they were still missing out on much of their education.

evaluation:
- 1918 education act, raised school leaving age to 14 and extended the provision of secondary and tertiary
education

Question 4

participation

Answer 4

evidence:
- land qualifications were scrapped in 1858

• 1911 parliament act, mps salaries
  analysis:
• men who were previously unable to be an MP due to land qualifications could now participate fairly.
• the working class could fairly participate as they did not have to worry about earning money.

counter analysis:
- many people still struggled to participate as not everyone would have been educated enough to be MPs.

evaluation:
- women couldn’t fully participate until the 1928 representation of the people act.