Growth Of Parliamentary Democracy (booklet 3)

Question 1

Give an example of the progressive middle class pushing for reforms in unions and what were their goals? what was their approach?

Answer 1

1864 national reform union wanted equal distribution, the secret ballot and to extend the franchise to all male rate payers. They gave assertive but respectable demonstrations.

Question 2

Give an example of an external pressure league on parliament for reform in 1860s

Answer 2

1865 reform league wanted universal manhood suffrage and the secret ballot. Widespread support from ex chartists and trade unionists.

Question 3

How did the chartists create pressure for reform (violent and non-violent)? why? inspired?

Answer 3

Upset about 1832 great reform act. Failed petitions in 1839,42,48 (last with 3 million fake signatures). Use of violence: Newport uprising 1839, plug riots 1842. INSPIRED NEW MODEL UNIONS IN 1851.

Question 4

How far did the electorate rise after the great reform act 1832?

Answer 4

From 366,000 to 650,000 (18% of males). Still exclusion.

Question 5

Problems with legacy of 1832 reform act, and how much income did you need to become an MP?

Answer 5

Narrow electorate, had to have income £600 to become MP, no secret ballot.

Question 6

How was the electorate corrupt after the 1832 reform act?

Answer 6

73 boroughs had less than 500 electorates. 31 had less than 300. Easy for MPs to buy seats.

Question 7

What was the Lancashire population and number of MPs?

Answer 7

1.3 million, 14 MPs

Question 8

What brought reform to the forefront of politics?

Answer 8

Lord Palmerston’s death in 1865, leaving Russel and Gladstone in power.

Question 9

What did the first liberal bill include, when and why did it fail.

Answer 9

1831 Qualification of borough reduced to £7 per year. MPs worried about uneducated voters.

Question 10

How did Disraeli help reform?

Answer 10

Tory MP passed the 1867 Reform Act so 2.46 million people could vote.

Question 11

What 3 chartist demands were too radical and would threatened elite power and give say to uneducated working class?

Answer 11

Enfranchise all men over 21, equal constituencies, removal of MP property qualifications.

Question 12

When were the rejected chartist petitions and how many signed?

Answer 12

1839 (1.2 mill), 1842 (3.3 mill), 1848 (5.7 mill, only 2 mill real).

Question 13

Why did the chartists use of petition cause their failure?

Answer 13

No solid results, large amount of fake signatures causing distrust.

Question 14

Why did chartist violence cause failure?

Answer 14

Newport uprising 1839 20 chartists killed. LOCAL. Plug riots 1842 peel arrested 1000 chartists. Mainly motivated by harvests and wage rather than political demands. DIVIDED ‘MORAL FORCE’ VS ‘PHYSICAL FORCE’ CHARTISTS

Question 15

Who was involved in the reform league which put pressure on parliament?

Answer 15

United Support from trade unions + trade councils, middle class reformers and some MPs.

Question 16

How successful was the reform league?

Answer 16

Over 100 branches in london by 1867. Huge demonstrations like 1866 Hyde Park protests lasting 3 days.

Question 17

What were some examples of attempts at reform in the 1850s?

Answer 17

Russell’s proposed bills in 1852 and 1854.

Question 18

What attitudes allowed the 1867 reform act?

Answer 18

Increased support for electoral reform, like Disraeli tory MP leading conservative demand for electoral reform.

Question 19

What riots put economic pressure on parliament to reform in 1830s?

Answer 19

Bristol riots 1831, Days of May 1832

Question 20

How many MPs were middles class and when?

Answer 20

1830-66, only 14

Question 21

How did divisions cause chartist failure?

Answer 21

‘Moral force’ vs ‘ physical force’. Local places like Newport more militant, exaggerated split in chartists. In 1848, despite mass petition and demonstrations, could not agree on how to follow up.

Question 22

What are the similarities between the causes of the 1832 and 1867 reform acts?

Answer 22

Pressure from groups, Russell’s bills, corruption outrage, militancy

Question 23

What were the differences between the 1832 and 1867 reform acts?

Answer 23

1867 driven by solving legacy of 1832 act (still exclusion, no secret ballot, corruption.), while 1832 was aiming for reform at all. Less militant towards 1867. Attitudes in parliament more welcoming.

Question 24

what are some examples of the old corrupt voting system?

Answer 24

Lancashire 1.3 mill pop 14 MPs, Cornwall 300k 42 MPs. 70 boroughs <500 electorate, 30 <300. bribery common as had hustings rather than secret ballot. 1831 <5% men could vote.

Question 25

5 examples of protest before 1832?

Answer 25

Bristol riots 1831, Days of may 1832. Thomas Hardy’s 1792 London corresponding society cost 1p per week. 200,000 Copenhagen fields riots 1795. Rights of man by Thomas Paine 200k copies sold by 1793- charged with treason 1792 (dangerous).

Question 26

How did government resolve/attitude explain decline in protests?

Answer 26

in 1785 unsupportive of radical change eg Pitt’s bill to disenfranchise 36 of worst boroughs was defeated. old Tories replaced with young like peel- relax authoritarian. 1822 Russel bill to disenfranchise 100 rotten boroughs failed, no support- little effort to appease protesters (so other reason?).

Question 27

how did external factors explain the decline in protest? book

Answer 27

French revolutions 1789,1830 scared gov. Burke’s 1790 book “reflections on the revolutions in france” blamed abroad violence on sudden radical political change- slow adaptive nature better.why change something that works? have already kept stable monarchy and prosperous society. industrialization working.