Changing Social Influences In Parliament - Crown And Aristocrats 1780s Flashcards
Pocket borough
- /rotten borough/crown borough
- controlled by the crown or aristocrat via bribery and patronage
Treating
- essentially bribery
- used by MPs to influence voters in the 1780s
Why was there pressure to support the local aristocrat in the elections?
- open voting system (people could see who you vote for - threats could be made)
- no legislation to combat bribery
- limited franchise (less people to treat and those with the vote would likely be close to the candidate due to status)
Two examples of pocket boroughs in action:
- Cornwall and Lancashire 1701-1831
- Robert Peel in Tamworth
Cornwall and Lancashire pocket boroughs:
- 1701-1831 = 29 general elections
- small boroughs had no elections!
- the MP patron either stood as MP or chose one himself
Tamworth pocket borough
- Robert peel buys country estate in Tamworth, Staffordshire
- secured won seat as MP
- and his sons seat as MP
Even if patronage and treating was used, why was victory still not guaranteed?
- voters could sell their vote for £500 in todays money
Two examples of treating and patronage not guaranteeing election win:
- Sir James Lowther 1780
- Lord Penrhyn 1830
Wide range to show was a wide and long lasting issue
Sir James Lowther
- 1780
- lost Whitehaven election
- his tenants turned against him
- so threatened to cut off their coal supplies
Lord Penrhyn
- 1830
- lost Liverpool election
- even though £30,000 was spent on treating
Where in parliament did the aristocracy have power?
- in the commons
- and the lords
Aristocratic power in the lords c1780:
- lords is unelected house
- had powerful role, could veto or ammend bills
How could the crown influence parliament?
- electing government ministers
- after elections, they would select any MP to be PM
- did not need to be from majority party
Could choose any MP which aligned with the crowns interests the best
Which king had a direct role in politics? More than others
George III
How did king George III influence parliament?
- selected PM
- influenced via patronage
How did king George III influence parliament?
- selected PM (as did the others)
- influenced via patronage
What was patronage?
- king promised offices and peerages to MPs
- they returned this political exposure/promotion by supporting the crown in parliament
What did king George III recommend in 1776?
- 10 new peerages to be created
- 7/10 given to MPs he previously supported
What does ‘economical’ reform mean?
Cutting down on government expenses to be more efficient and ‘economical’
Were people concerned about growing influence of the crown?
Yes - by 1780
How did American war of independence cause people to be concerned about parliament being influenced by the crown?
- costs from the war were rising
- so it was funded by increasing taxes
- reason why costs were so high was because contracts for military supplies were being given to MPs families/friends not to the lowest costing deal
- = corrupt and inefficiency in govt
When was ‘economical reform’ proposed?
1780
What did the proposal for economical reform state?
‘ the power of the crown has increased, is increasing and ought to be diminished ‘
What did the ‘economical reform’ proposal suggest?
- reduce the number of offices that could be awarded
- reduce governmental cost
- this would also cause less crown influence in parliament because the monarch couldn’t give offices to MPs
Outline decrease in Crowns power form 1790-1801:
- 1782 alliance govt of Lord North and radical James Fox formed
- unsupported by king - did not offer patronage
- so North-Fox govt dismissed as weak
- 1783-1801 William Pitt the Younger chosen as PM (small following as most supported North-Fox govt)
- as a consequence had to build coalitions and negotiations through compromise
- leads to rise of cabinet government
- Pitt won the majority in 1784 - supported by his cabinet
What was ‘cabinet government’
- decisions made by discussions between ministers
- the ‘cabinet council’ was a group of these core ministers
How did the North-Fox, Pitt parliament arch lead to the decline of Crown power in govt 1780-1801
- growth of cabinet government
- combined with weakened (and less) patronage after 1780
- means crown is less influential
