How Did Brittain Become More Democratic? Flashcards
What did Abraham Lincoln classify democracy as?
‘Government of all the people, for the people and by the people’
What did the Great Reform Act start and who did it give the vote to?
Gave vote to the middle class and started a process of reforms which would help make Britain more democratic
How did the Second Reform Act (1867) help Britain become more democratic?
It gave the vote to men who owned property or paid rent of £10 per year (skilled working class)
1/3 men could now vote
What were the Ongoing problems with the Second Reform act (1867)?
Still 2/3 of men had no right to vote
No women at all could vote
How did the Third Reform Act (1884) help Britain become more democratic
Gave the vote to men in towns/cities and countryside on an equal basis
2/3 of men could now vote
What were ongoing problems with the Third Reform Act (1884)?
Still 1/3 of men had no right to vote
Still no women could vote
How did Representation of the People Act (1918) help Britain become more democratic?
Gave the vote to all men over 21
Gave the vote to women over 30 who met certain conditions
What were ongoing problems with the Representation of the People Act (1918)?
Not all women could vote
Clear discrimination between men and women
How did Equal Franchise Act (1928) help Britain become more democratic
Gave the vote to all men and women over the age of 21
What were ongoing problems with the Equal Franchise Act (1928)
People seen as adults before the age of 21 but had no right to vote
What does All adults have the right to vote link to?
1867 Second Reform Act also removed some MPs from over-represented areas in the South of England, giving them to Scotland, Wales and the north of England and ensuring fairer representation
How did Redistribution of the Seats act (1885) help Britain become more democratic?
Took seats away from areas with a small population
Gave more seats to cities and areas such as Scotland
What were ongoing problems with the Redistribution of the Seats Act (1885)?
Rural areas still had more MPs than they should
Did not solve problem of plural voting (people voting twice)
How did the Parliment Act (1911) help Britain become more democratic?
Reduced power of House of Lords (now can only block House of Commons for 2 years)
What were ongoing problems with the Parliment Act (1911)
House of Lords could still delay legislation, even tho no member was elected