Disraeli's second ministry Flashcards
Richard Cross, a member of Disraeli’s cabinet recounting the cabinet discussion of the Queen’s speech
Judging by D’s speeches he had expected him to be full of legislative schemes but he actually had to rely completely on the suggestions of his colleagues, and as they themselves had only just come into office, there was some difficulty in framing the Queen’s speech
Paul Smith on Disraeli’s legislative plans
If he didn’t have any plans for laws, then he did atleast have a conceptual compass to guide him. It had been set in the 1830s and only readjudted in his 1872 speeches, which had defined not what a conservative ministry would do, but by what stars it would steer
List the key influences and concerns behind his social reforms
They would show ordinary workers that the govt cared about them and their family. They were important as gestures, especially given all the promises and speeches he had made about social reform on the campaign trail
Social reforms were often uncontroversial practical extensions of reforms that had already been started by the liberals
Explain Disraeli’s preference for permissive legislation over compulsory legislation
Meant that local councils or other authorities would often carry out the reforms. Based on the principle that govt should not interfere too much in people’s lives and the initiative should be left to individuals. D said in 1875 that permissive legislation is ‘the characteristic of a free people’
Why was cutting taxes more important than social reforms for D
Because this was what his middle class voters wanted
How much did he cut taxes
In 1874 they cut it from 1d to 2d in the pound
How were local councils to pay for the improvements they were carrying out
They would pay using rates (local taxes), though the govt might offer loans. The govt had surplus money following a boom in the early 1870s and it gave some of this to local councils to help them cut rates
What would the govt not do due to their its belief that it should not interefere in the way the free market worked
Set up any govt enterprises that would compete with commercial ones
Why was the 1874 Factory Act necessary
The demand for a 10 hour working day for the traditional worker had not been fully carried out
What were the effects of the 1874 Factory Act
Reduced working hours in the factories for women and children from 10.5 hours to 10, with a half day on saturdays and a maximum of 56.5 hours per week. In practise this generally limited the amount of time factories could operate for and so also indirectly brought men’s working hours down
Why was the 1878 Factory Act necessary
Govt inspectors only went to factories with more than 50 employees, so Factory Acts were not properly enforced in smaller factories
What was the effect of the 1878 Factory Act
Inspectors visited workshops as well as factories to enforce the laws
Why was the 1875 Artisans Dwelling Act necessary
D had highlighted the poor conditions in the slum towns in Sybil (1845). A committee of conservative and liberal MPs from the influential Charity Organisation Society had suggested a measure
What was the effect of the 1875 Artisans Dwelling Act
Permissive: it allowed but did not compel local councils to:
- Draw up improvement schemes for areas of their towns
- Compel owners of slums to sell them, though the counsels must pay compensation
- Get loans from the govt at lower than normal interest rates
- Demolish slum areas
New houses or other buildings would then be put up by commercial builders, rather than the local councils. By 1879 the Act had been used in London and only 10 out of the other 87 towns where it applied
Why was the 1875 Public Health Act necessary
What local councils had to do for health was listed in a wide range of laws and regulations that needed to be brought together in one law.
What were the effects of the 1875 Public Health Act
It did not introduce new regulations, but stated clearly what councils and other organisations were required to do to provide sewerage, drainage and water supply to look after public health. There were long term improvements in the following years, but it is hard to assess the contribution of the act
Why was the 1875 Sale of Food and Drugs Act necessary
Food was frequently mixed up with substances which lowered its quality and might be harmful - such as chalk being put in bread to make it whiter. There was no restriction on this or any requirement to list ingredients
Effects of the 1875 Sale of Food and Drugs Act
Local councils had to enforce a widespread ban on adulterating food. But they were not compelled to employ food analysts to find out the ingredients, so the law was not well applied
Why was the 1876 Rivers Pollution Act necessary
Since there was no restriction on what factory owners put into rivers, something might kill off fish or pollute drinking water. A royal commission recommended regulation
Effects of the 1876 Rivers Pollution Act
Polluting rivers made illegal, but there were many exceptions to this which allowed factory owners to avoid the law
Why was the 1875 Agricultural Holdings Act necessary
If tenant farmers improved the farms they rented and then left them they would lose what they had spent on their holdings. The govt wanted to deal with this without harming landlords
Effect of the 1875 Agricultural Holdings Act
Landowners had to compensate leaving tenants for any improvements they had made to their holdings unless the owners had put a statement in the tenancy agreements that they would not do this. Since the act was permissive, if left the landowners to decide what to do and was therefore ineffective
Why was the 1875 Employers and Workmen Act necessary
Workers and employers were not treated in the same way if they broke contracts with each other. For employers it was a civil offence, but for workers it was a crime with harsher punishments
Effect of the 1875 Employers and Workmen Act
Breaking a contract would now be a civil offence for both workers and employers, meaning they were on equal terms
Why was the 1875 Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act necessary
Unions had campaigned for a change to the 1871 Criminal Law Amendment Act to allow peaceful picketing
Effects of the 1875 Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act
Peaceful picketing was allowed so long as it was only to obtain or communicate info. Union leaders thought a major greivance had been removed. Despite the act, most TU leaders (with a few notable exceptions) still supported the liberal party and trade unionists elected to parliament went on the liberal side
Why was the 1876 Merchant Shipping Act necessary
Shipowners sometimes overloaded ships so that they were in danger of sinking. The Radical Liberal MP Samuel Plimsoll mounted a high profile campaign to get a load line on ships which must remain above the surface of the water
Effects of the 1876 Merchant Shipping Act
The load line had to be painted on, but shipowners could decide where it would go. Plimsoll wanted govt inspectors to decide
Why was the 1876 Education Act necessary
Many school boards had not made education compulsory under the 1870 Act. Conservatives also wanted to help anglican schools by getting them more students and schools fees
Effect of the 1876 Education Act
Children over 10 could not work for a time unless they showed they had reached a certain basic standard at school or at least attended for a few years. Anglican schools therefore got more pupils as they were the only ones available in many villages
