Britain - The Growth of Parliamentary Democracy Flashcards
In this period, who was the country run by?
The Monarch (head of state) and the Houses of Parliament (elected Commons and designated Lords)
How did one become a Lord?
Gain a peerage from the monarch and to be in the House of Commons you had to be elected (but only eligible if in possession of a certain quantity of wealth)
To stand for election in the House of Commons, how much did your property have to be worth a year?
More than £300 a year
How did one who was not a member of the upper class become a Member of Parliament?
Through the backing of a peer who would fund you (patronage)
What was undemocratic about a patronage?
MPs would have to represent the views form the peers that supported them, or face losing their financial support
In 1801, what percentage of Britain’s 658 MPs received their patronage from Lords?
50%
What does franchise mean?
The ability to vote
What are the two types of constituencies?
Boroughs and counties
What was the pre - reform franchise like in counties?
Rural shires
Each county elected 2 MPs to Westminster (no matter the size)
To vote, you had to own a property worth £2 a year in rent
What was the pre - reform franchise like in boroughs?
Urban towns
Each elected 2 MPs
6 different types of franchise (not standardised)
In which year did William Pitt propose de-franchising 36 rotten boroughs
1785
What did The London Society of Constitutional Information do?
Used pamphlets to promote public awareness of the need for reform
Who established The London Society of Constitutional Information?
John Major Cartwright
In which year was The London Society of Constitutional Information established?
1780
What were rotten boroughs?
Boroughs which were important during the middle ages but declined in status (still elected the same number of MPs)
