Chapter 3 Flashcards
What was the case of Edward Glover?
elected in 1857 but did not possess the necessary qualifications
debarred and imprisoned for three months, the government decided the law were a sham and abolished the property qualification for MPs
MPs were still not paid so they needed a private income.
What did the Liberal government to enfranchise the respectable working class? 1860
Working class were gaining a nicer reputation, they had been contrasted from the “residuum’, whereby those at the bottom end of the working class were considered to be “dangerous”. To be accepted as a top layer working class man you needed to have good habits -e.g. going to church, paying rent, being sober, being educated.
1866, Liberal party and leader, Earl John Russell replaced the old prime minister Lord Palmerston (well known and well respected.) Supporter of reform and believed that the respectable working class would in Liberal. William Gladstone had become increasing popular in the Liberal party. Gladstone believed that there was a large number of working class men who could have the vote.
What did Gladstone do to widen the franchise and how did the Conservatives exploit this, 1866?
Gladstone introduced a bill in the House of Commons in March 1866, it lowered the borough franchise from £10 householders to £7. In total, it increased the electorate by half a million. This annoyed the Whigs as they believed the working-class were irresponsible and not to be trusted.
Disareli and Lord Derby, Conservative leaders, saw an opportunity to exploit the Liberal divisions and defeated the Liberal bill. Russell had resigned, and conservatives aimed to pass their own reform.
What did the failure of Gladstone’s bill lead to?
Led to a demonstration in Hyde Park, which was banned by authorities, went head anyway.
Led to violence and tearing down of some park railings. Street demonstrations and protest meetings in several cities.
Created a climate where some kind of reform became more necessary.
What was the Corn Law crisis?
Laws favoured the British colonies. These colonies were charged less import duties than grain growers who were not part of the British Empire (Britain and British colonies).
In 1846, Britain repealed the Corn Laws as part of a movement toward free trade.
What did the Conservative reform bill entail?
Derby and Disraeli drew up the bill, householder franchise in the boroughs, safeguards to limit the impact
e.g. Two year residency, ‘fancy franchises’ only those who paid rates directly could vote.
Three conservatives resigned from the cabinet, Peel and other MPS disagreed and all felt the new voters would not be properly educated.
What were Disraeli’s intentions with the bill?
To ensure the Conservative bill was successful
Outdo Gladstone and his allies, ‘Dish the Liberals’
Enhance his claim to lead the conservatives when derby retires, many conservatives were desperate for a success
Disraeli would need to entice Liberals to vote for his reform, accepted radical amendments.
What was the Hodgkinson Amendment?
Hodgkinson proposed to abolish compounding, this would add around 400000 voters to the register, the bill became increasingly radical
Disraeli’s performance in keeping his party together was dazzling, Derby used his influence in the Lords to pass the bill.
What were Disraeli’s general motives?
Keep the Liberals split so that they did not reunite and turn out the Conservatives, ‘Dish the Liberals’.
‘Extinguish Gladstone & Co’.
Conservatives give the vote to more men and also help themselves to win elections at the same time, a Conservative reform rather a Liberal one.
Conservatives stay in power to prove that they can run the country.
Success might guarantee Disraeli leadership of the party when Derby retired.
What did the second reform act entail, 1867?
Boroughs: Men owning or occupying households, residents for one year. Lodgers who paid £10 a year in resident for one year.
Counties:
Men owning, or having leases on, land worth £5 a year.
Men occupying land with a rateable value of £12 a year and paid poor rates.
40s freehold franchise continued.
Harder to get the vote, he knew in the countries, conservatives always did well, so no point in changing.
What was the impact of the second reform act?
The reform was characterised by Disraelis opportunism and calculation. Many were worried about the consequences, others were enthusiastic.
Fears of Victorian intellectuals e.g. Matthew Arnold, Thomas Carlyle, Derby ‘a leap in the dark’.
Disraeli became PM in February 1868 but lost the election in December.
In the election the Liberals dominated the boroughs but Conservatives controlled 60% of the counties.
In 1874 the Conservatives won their first since 1841: they were dominant in the newly emergent suburbs and the south east.
How did the political system change after 1867?
Disreali shaped the systems to suit their own party like redistributing MPs in counties where the Conservative got many of their votes.
Rural areas were still over represented compared to the industrial, the south and west had more MPs than the north.
The social composition of MPs changed little: landowners continued to dominate, less than 25% from commercial or industrial backgrounds, two working class MPs in 1874, MPs still not paid.
How did the electorate change?
Electorate:
Grew from 1.2 million to nearly 2 million, 1/3 adult males
Enfranchised were mostly respectable working men
Working men were now a majority in some northern towns
2/3 adult males still excluded, agricultural labourers largely excluded
How did the parties change in 1867?
Increase in voters meant the parties had to be more organised
Formed associations and clubs in local areas, working mens clubs , sports, entertainment, John Garst led the way for the Conservatives, set up Conservative Central Office, National Union of Conservative Associations, 791 branches by 1877.
Politicians had to be more responsive to public opinion, growth of provincial press, e.g. Yorkshire Post, steam press, telegraph, railways, passionate public interest in politics especially in Disraeli and Gladstone, conscious of political image, parties developed policies,
Politics became more professional.
How did the Liberals respond to defeat?
Liberals: Responded to defeat in 1874, set up National Liberal Federation in 1877, Birmingham caucus, Joseph Chamberlain.
