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.
