Issue 1 🇬🇧 Flashcards
Reasons for growth of democracy
Factors of democracy
- industrialisation & urbanisation
- party competition
- popular agitation of political pressure groups
- changing political attitudes
- the Great War
Industrialisation & urbanisation
( knowledge )
- Between 1871-1911, the population of Britain increased to 45.3 million, with 80% living in urban areas
- Introduction of compulsory education in 1870s meant that the population was better educated and informed than previous generations. From 1880s, newspapers started to become more widely circulated nationally.
Industrialisation & urbanisation (Evaluation)
To evaluate, this factor is most significant as against this backdrop we’re the trade unions and other views of unrepresented working classes that pressured the government to bring about reform. Example includes the 1867 reform act which increased electorate to 2.5 million and enfranchised 1 in 3 men
Party competition & political advantage ( knowledge)
1.Liberal and conservatives believed that they could gain political advantage from passing reforms. Gladstone’s liberals were convinced that reforms would benefit them at the expense of conservatives. For example: Gladstone was the one who passed the corrupt and illegal practices act 1883.
2. Stanley Baldwin introduced 1928 representation of the people act which gave woman equality in voting on the same grounds as men, in hopes of attracting newly enfranchised women to the Conservative Party.
Party competition & political advantage ( evaluation )
It’s clear that growth of democracy was partly as a result of party competition and political advantage. Politicians tried to ensure that their own party’s interest was protected in times of change. However, it’s more convincing that passing reforms such as the 1867 reform act which enfranchised upper working classes, as there were concerns that withholding the vote would be dangerous in face of increasing pressure from popular pressure groups emerging at the time
Popular agitation of political pressure groups ( knowledge )
- They helped draw the government’s attention to lack of democratic rights suffered by working classes during mid 19th century. An example of this is the national reform league established in 1805 for secret ballot, universal suffrage and a fairer distribution of seats.
- The labour movement was a significant pressure group which supported Keir Hardie in his election to parliament in 1900. They campaigned for MP’s pay
Popular agitation of political pressure groups (analyses) & (counter-analyses)
- This led to Britain becoming more democratic as it attracted widespread support (65,000 members by 1867) from working classes. This out pressure on government to respond to their calls for democratisation.
- However, some historians argue that the reforms of 1867 went beyond what leaders of the reform group wanted, suggesting there were other contributory factors which influenced the government of the time.
- This led to Britain becoming more more democratic as labour was in a position from within parliament to pressure the liberal government into passing reforms which would benefit working classes. An example is the 1911 parliament act which introduced MP’s pay.
- However, it could be argued that the women’s suffrage movement was less effective than the national reform league as argued by Historians Martin Pugh.
Party competition & political advantage (evaluation)
Whilst political pressure groups can be seen as an important factor in the growth of democracy, without the support of the newly evolved urban masses , the effectiveness of pressure groups would be limited.Indeed, industrialisation and urbanisation was the most important factor as it provided a fertile breeding ground for the political pressure groups
changing political attitudes (knowledge)
- Other nations, such as New Zealand and the USA had extended the franchise, which could’ve made Britain look as if they were falling behind
- During 1870-80s, women were being accepted into local government and school board elections
Changing political attitudes
( analyses) & (counter-analysis)
1.This could’ve motivated the liberal prime minister at the time, William Gladstone, to pass reforms during 1880s
2. This led to Britain becoming more democratic as many people began to be convinced that women had earned the right to participate in electorate process nationally
Changing political attitudes (evaluation)
Overall, changing political attitudes and examples from foreign countries did play some part in growing democracy of Britain but as Historian Kerr and McGonigle argued, the argument that democracy spread because of change in political attitudes and and ideas is questionable as they say that the reforms leased in 1880s were mainly to promote their own party Political interests and unlikely to have been as a response to overseas examples.
The Great War (knowledge)
- The Great War lasted from 1914-1918 and over five million men served in the war. Nearly three quarter of a million from those men were killed and a million seriously wounded
- Since most men were at war, women had to take up employment which would have usually been done by men.
The Great War (analyses) & (counter-analysis)
- By 1918, it was quite untenable to conceive that working class men, who were expected to fight for king and country were not allowed to have a say in how the country was run, which was when representation of the people act 1918 was introduced, which enfranchised all men over age of 21
- This wartime work employment demonstrated women’s ability to undertake employment which they had previously been excluded from, this was also partly rewarded as some women, who were over age of 30 or were married to a house owner.mwere enfranchised in the 1918 act, but most women were still disenfranchised
The Great War (evaluation)
To evaluate, whilst the Great War did partially contribute to the democratisation of Britain, it cannot be seen as the most significant. As argued by historian Martin Pugh, the Great War was merely a catalyst speeding up the process reforming legislation has already been well under way in the decades prior to it
Background information
During 19th century, Britain was not a democracy. Voting was based on income, qualifications and corruption was rife. Talk about (isolated factor) and then other factors. Line of argument.
