British political structure in 1851

Question 1

Whig party politics

Answer 1

• had no definite programme or policy
• generally stood for reduction of royal power, sympathy towards non-conformists, limited electoral reform + supporting interests of merchants + bankers
• mostly rich landowners
• delivered message via network of clubs, newspapers + magazines
• comprised of the 300 biggest landlords in Britain

Question 2

Tory party politics

Answer 2

• committed to upholding the Anglican Church
• protected royal power
• expansionist, bellicose + imperialist foreign policy
• repressive of popular discontent
• adopted Peel’s Tamworth Manifesto - “reform ills while conserving the good”

Question 3

key pre-1851 Whig legislation

Answer 3

• 1832 “Great” Reform Act -> shifted power form landed aristocracy to urban MC -> increased electorate to 435k
• 1833 Slavery + Abolition Act
• 1833 Factory Act
• 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act -> made relief to the poor more of a deterrent

Question 4

key pre-1851 Tory legislation

Answer 4

• 1825 Combinations of Workmen Act makes striking a criminal offence
• 1825-28 - removed death penalty as a punishment for over 180 crimes
• 1829 - est the 1st modern police force in Ldn
• 1829 Catholic Relief Act -> removed biggest restrictions for Catholic in Britain but led to party splits

Question 5

Parliamentary structure

Answer 5

• MPs were unpaid
• both Houses of P had the power to veto legislation
• representative gov w/ 1st Past the Post system
• PM nearly always from the lords
• lords served for life + were all landed aristocrats

Question 6

Effects of Tory/Peelite split in parliament

Answer 6

Whig leader Lord Russell is PM but had less seats than the conservatives who didn’t form a gov due to the split -> minority gov

Question 7

Plural voting

Answer 7

land lords views over represented as they could vote in any constituency in which they owned property

Question 8

Public voting

Answer 8

social influence + voter suppression commonly affected election results (eg. Whig dominance in Ireland pre-72 Ballot Act)

Question 9

Rotten Boroughs + widely varying size of county constituencies

Answer 9

Lack of representation of the urban population

Question 10

No limit on campaign expenses + bribery/corruption not illegal

Answer 10

UC had electoral advantage

Question 11

Inconsistent voting rues in boroughs

Answer 11

corruption made easy

Question 12

Liberal party

Answer 12

• formed in 1859 in a coalition between the Peelites, Radicals + Whigs
• variety of values but less Anglican than the cons due to the Radical leader John Bright being a Quaker + were pro-free trade due to the Peelites