Disraeli as PM Flashcards
What did D take advantage of in the lead up to the 1874 GE?
In the period leading up to the 1874 GE, D took advantage of G’s increasing discomfort and unpopularity with several sections of traditional L supporters
What was the name of his political philosophy and what purpose did it serve?
He began to plant the seeds of the idea of ‘Tory Democracy’, a new brand of conservativism, in order to revive the fortunes of the C party
Explain the idea of tory democracy
Tory Democracy is a term describing the policies advocated by D when he became PM in 1874, namely maintaining conservative support of established institutions – the constitutional monarchy, the British Empire and the CoE – while also supporting a degree of social reform
Why was D’s support for democracy limited?
D was interested in the new trends towards democracy and the extension of the franchise, while also being keen to maintain tradition and privilege, knowing that the C party was not ready to abandon the old aristocratic hierarchy
How did he attempt to appeal to the new working class voters?
He wanted to encourage working class voters to place their trust in the Cs and persuade them that they could share part of the benefits enjoyed by the more prosperous groups in society
How old was he when he became PM?
D was 70 in 1874
Why was the 1874 GE so important for the Cs?
1874 was the first time the Cs had had a clear majority in over 20 years
Describe his interest in social reform
His government was responsible for a number of important social reforms and in a speech to the National Union at the Crystal Palace in 1872 before the election, he appeared to promote a Tory policy of social reform
What are the different ideas about what the motivations behind his social reforms were?
It could have been a dig at G, who had introduced few measures for social reform. It could also have been a ploy to pull in working class voters. It could also have been the case that D was honestly outlining the principles of new conservativism
Describe his cabinet
D’s cabinet contained a new generation of conservative leaders, although it remained socially exclusive in respect of its landed dominance, as only one of its 12 members was not either a peer or landed gentleman
Why did the 1867 Reform Act backfire for D in 1868?
The loss of 1868 had disappointed D because it was his 1867 Reform Act that had extended the franchise to the artisan class in towns. D had expected thanks by way of support from these new voters, but quickly found out that parties needed to improve thier organisation to reach out to this new, expanding electorate
How did D improve party organisation?
He appointed John Gorst to overhaul party organisation and set up a Conservative Central Office in London. The National Union of Conservative Associations was set up in 1867 to provide a central link to the constituencies and to act as a propaganda tool for the CCO. D used it as a sounding board in 1872 on which to outline his policies and ideas for Tory Democracy
How did he win the 1874 GE?
Whatever the motives behind Ds brand of conservativism, it is a fact that in the 1874 GE, the newly enfranchised ‘respectable’ working class voters in the boroughs helped bring the Cs to power. The electorate was tired of G’s endless legislation and D was able to present his party as having a ‘broad based appeal’ (Blake) to the working class as well as the property owners – land owners in the country and middle class businessmen in the towns
What is this ministry most renowned for?
This ministry has gained its reputation based on the strength of its social reforms. A broad spectrum of reforms were introduced in quick succession between 1875-6. These measures appear to be consistent with the idea of Tory Democracy
Why can the case by made that D was not that passionate about despite his legislation
However, there is evidence to suggest that D had no coherent plan for reform and much of the legislation was introduced in response to pressure from reform groups and from recommendations made by the Royal Commission of Inquiry
What did the 1875 Artisans’ Dwelling Act do?
The major innovation of the 1875 Atrisans’ Dwelling Act lies in the power it gave the local authority to purchase, clear and then redevelop slums
Evaluate the impact of the Act
The absence of a complusory purchase order seriously weakened its effectiveness and many city councils chose to ignore it. However, it had the long term legacy of introducing the principle of state intervention with regard to private dwellings and marked the beginning of local authority housing
What did the 1875 Public Health Act do?
The 1875 Public Health was introduced to pull together all existing sanitary legislation, which up until then had fallen short of tackling the health problems of the day. It laid down minimum standards of drainage, sewage disposal and refuse. A Medical Officer of health was charged with the reporting of all infectious diseases
Describe the opposition to the act?
Opposition came from the laissez faire brigade, who saw the act as involving too much government intervention and interference with personal freedom
What did the 1875 Employers and Workmens Act do?
The 1875 Employers and Workmens Act introduced a contract of service which gave employees terms on par with those of employers. This legislation was a major step in labour law reform and D was justly proud of his achievement when he said that he had ‘satisfactorily settled the position of labour for a generation’
What did the 1874 and 1878 factory legislation do?
The factory legislation passed in 1874 and 1878 was a consolidation of the previous Factory Acts and set the code of regulations for conditions in factories, and with the reduction in hours for women and children, had the effect of indirectly reducing male working hours. The Acts brought other industries in line with the textile industry and all the factories came under the umbrella of a state inspectorate
Why was the legislation symbolically important?
This was an important reform as it established the principle of the state interfering to protect industrial workers
What did D arguably create through his social reforms?
It can be argued that D established the idea of a Tory Democracy through his social reforms
Describe the positive impact the reforms had on workers
The reforms certainly indicate an awareness of the emergent needs of the working class. Their voice was heard more often as a result of the growing strength and influence of the TUs and through improved education provision - both areas encouraged by C reforms
