Parliamentary Democracy Flashcards
What percentage of population could vote before 1832?
11%
How many eligible voters were there in the constituency of Dunwich?
Only 14
Political reasons for 1832 Reform Act?
Whigs come into government in 1830; resignation of Lord Liverpool (mediator in emancipation debate); William IV becomes King in 1830 and agrees to grant Whigs 50 more peers to pass the act
Social reasons for 1832 reform Act?
Riots in Bristol and Nottingham; rapid population growth outdated system
Bristol riots key figures
£300,000 worth of damages
12 killed in riots
102 arrested
31 sentenced to death
Economic reasons for 1832 Reform Act?
Poor harvests of 1828/ 1829 sparked fear of revolution; GNP growth led to less authoritarian leadership
Changes the 1832 Reform Act brought
Extended franchise to 18% of adult males, voter registration, 56 boroughs disenfranchised, 42 new boroughs created
Who was Prime Minister when the act was passed?
Lord Charles Grey (Whig)
Who’s resignation in 1827 split the Tories?
Lord Liverpool
6 points of people’s charter?
Universal manhood suffrage, secret ballot, no conditions for standing as MP, payment for MPs, equally sized constituencies and annual parliaments
When was the London Woking Men’s Association founded?
1836
Chartist petitions to Parliament
1839 - 1 million signatures
1842 - 3 million
1848 - 5 million
Which Chartist leader published his views in the Northern Star?
Feargus O’Connor
Who founded the Metropolitan Charter Union?
Henry Hetherington
Which Chartist opposed O’Connor’s conduct?
William Lovett
Strengths of Chartism?
Nationwide, clear set of goals, charismatic leaders, large support
Weaknesses of Chartism?
Divided/ambiguous leadership, lack of MPs to support them, spies inside organisation, too many demands
Social reasons for 1867 Reform Act?
Population grew from 24 million to 31 million (1821-1861) - many could not vote, Hyde Park riots in 1866
Political reasons for 1867 Reform Act?
Party rivalry - Tories and Whigs both wanted to look good, National Reform Union had 150 branches, will from within Parliament (3 previous failed reform bills)
What did Benjamin Disraeli do?
Saw political reform as a vote winner and introduced the 1867 bill to parliament
Who attempted (but failed) to pass a reform bill in 1866 when he was PM?
William Gladstone (whig)
Changes after 1867 Reform Act?
Franchise increased to 2.5 million
7 seats transferred from England to Scotland
Lowered property value for voting eligibility
45 seats taken from boroughs with less than 10K people
Where did the 1867 act fail?
No secret ballot
Unfair seat distribution
South and East over represented
Features of democracy before reform?
Unpaid MPs, only wealthy could stand, only wealthy could vote, no secret ballot in elections, some areas not represented
Consequences of 1832 Reform Act?
Removed injustices of old democratic system, extended franchise to recognise the growth of a ‘middle class’, recognition of growing industrial cities, change only to appease public clamour, growth of Chartism
When was the Great Exhibition?
1851
When were the Hyde Park Riots?
1866
Population of Manchester and Birmingham in 1831 (no MPs)?
Manchester: 182,000
Birmingham: 144,000
Early reform movements by the people?
1792 Sheffield Society’s petition for manhood suffrage had 10,000 signatures; 100,000 people attend London Corresponding Society’s demonstration 1795
Peterloo Massacre key facts?
August 1819
Attracted 60,000 protesters
18 killed
400+ injured
Gross National Product growth 1821-29?
16.8%
Years of poor harvests?
1818 and 1819
1828 and 1829
What was established to campaign for greater industrial parliamentary representation?
Birmingham Political Union 1829
Number of MPs in North and South after reform?
North: 120
South: 370
Power remained with southern landowners
Consequences of 1867 Reform Act?
Political power given partially to Northern Industrial areas; Parliament more representative of population
When did chartism end?
1860
When was the Newport Rising?
1839
How many Chartist miners clashed with troops in Newport?
5,000
How many Chartist leaders were imprisoned between 1839 and 1841?
500
What and when was the Chartist Land Plan?
1845 - O’Connor’s idea to give working-class families the chance to own land; 70,000 people subscribed to the plan
Which organisations were formed in 1864 and 1865 respectively?
1864: National Reform Union (middle class liberals)
1865: Reform League (working class radicals)
