Britain - parliament and reform

Question 1

What are the factors for the growth of reform after 1832?

Answer 1

• Legacy of the 1832 reform act
• Role of pressure groups
• Actions of political parties
• External factors

Question 2

List facts legacy of 1832 reform act (growth of reform after 1832)

Answer 2

Vote was given to adult males who owned land 10pounds a year or rented 50pounds a year.
Voters had to be registered and polling was limited to 2 days
Political system still in elites hands
Few from the middle class joined parliament - of 103 individuals who served in cabinet from 1830-66 only 14 were middle class.
Number of contested sears increased - 30% before - 50% after.

Question 3

List facts of the role of pressure groups (growth of reform after 1832)

Answer 3

Richard cobden - speeches - founder of anti-corn league in 1839, promoted reform in 1858.
Reform league - 1865 - anted universal manhood suffrage + secret ballot. did demonstrations which were assertive but respectable.
The national reform union - 1864 - sought to extend franchise to include all male ratepayers and a secret ballot.
Liberal minded employers - Samuel morley - wool manufacturer from Nottingham.

Question 4

List facts of the actions of political parties (growth of reform after 1832)

Answer 4

March 1866 - Gladstone introduced bill - split liberal party - bill defeated.
Conservatives were in a minority in gov in June 1866.
Disraeili - immediately introduced own bill in 1867 as he believed it would benefit the conservative party.
John Bright - Birmingham MP who did speeches in 1858 aimed at promoting reform.

Question 5

List facts of the external factors (growth of reform after 1832)

Answer 5

American civil war - debunked idea that working class was selfish - thousands supporting the anti-savery movement. 
Population changes - 24mill in 1821 - 31mill in 1861 - more people in town - electoral map out of date. 
Death of Lord Palmerstone in 1859 (previously had ignored calls for reform), was replaced by Earl Russell.

Question 6

What are the factors for the growth of reform before 1832?

Answer 6

• New middle class
• Parliament’s unwillingness to change
• Riots and unrest
• Outside influences (French revolution and the ideology of Thomas Paine)

Question 7

List facts of the new middle class (growth of reform before 1832)

Answer 7

Middle class anger created the growth of radical societies and early reform groups. Such as London Corresponding society - movement in Copenhagen gathered support from 100,000 protestors - the society cost a penny a week and was therefore 'open to all.'
Middle classes benefitted the economy and were self-made, educated and respected.

Question 8

List facts for parliament’s unwillingness to change (growth of reform before 1832)

Answer 8

Burke’s reflections - 1890 - defended status quo and argued moderate reform would lead to revolution.
William Pitt - crushed popular radicals 1804-06.
Lord Liverpool stated ‘I was unwilling to open a door which i saw no prospect of being able to close’.
Political system corrupt - 2/3 of elections were uncontested, no secret ballot and ‘treating’.

Question 9

List facts for riots and unrest (growth of reform before 1832)

Answer 9

Peterloo massacre - Jan 1819 - Henry hunt speech demanding universal suffrage and in August 60,000 gathered to listen again but yeomanry came and killed 11 and wounded between 400-600.

Spa fields riots- 20,000 attended peaceful protest but second crowd of 200 marched to the tower on london - leaders arrested.

March of the Blanketeers - March 1817 planned hunger march 4500 originally supposed to but then only 300 set out and reached stockport, one was shot dead and several were wounded,

Question 10

List facts for outside influences (growth of reform before 1832)

Answer 10

French revolution - 1789 - made british scared.
Thomas Paine- Rights of man written in 1791-92 in response to Burke, sold 200,000 copies by 1793, believed ordinary people would be responsible if they got the vote.