politics 1851-1886 Flashcards
what was the role of the monarch in this period?
held soveriegn power and was able to appoint and dismiss ministers, summon parliament to meet and influence election
not involved in day to day governing
what were the constituencies like in this period?
658 MPs in the House of Commons
some constituencies had 2 MPs
little correlation between distribution of seats and population
Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds had one MP each while smaller constituencies in the South had 2 MPs
some boroughs had declined to the point of disappearance - ‘rotten boroughs’
south was over-represented, and the north was under represented
what were the voting qualifications for the county seats?
‘40- shilling freeholder’
if you owned a property worth 40 shillings or more in rent you could vote
in Scotland, property had to be valued at £100 could vote
what were the voting qualifications for a borough resident?
all male householders living in a property worth £10 a year or more count vote
(middle class)
uncontested seats in an election
in many constituencies, elections were uncontested
county seat were dominated by peers or landowners and therefore the result was a foregone conclusion
contested seats in a conclusion
elections were often conducted in a corrupt manner
‘treating’
open ballot
describe the aristocracy in this period
200 of the wealthiest families
titles
mansions
political power
describe the landed gentry in this period
13,000 families
leisured way of life
MPs
describe the middle class in this period
growing
factory owners. lawyers, doctors, merchants
hard work, ambitious
believed in free trade and minimal government interference
education
attempted to move up the heirachy by buying land or via marraige
describe the working classes in this period
varied from artisans to unskilled workers
low pay for long hours
distress during trade depressions
affected by poor harvests and rising food prices
describe the role of the church in this period
monarch was the head of the church
strong in rural areas amongst landowners and tenant farmers
centre of village life
clergy drew their income from tithes
nonconformist churches were experiencing growth- strong in towns
which parties joined together to form the liberal party in 1859
whigs, liberals, radicals and peelites
who were the whigs
aristocracy
mainly non-conformists
who were the liberals
middle-class professionals
non-conformists
who were the radicals
middle class
John Bright
who were the peelites
wealthy industrial and commercial background
break away group from the Conservative party
followers of Robert Peel
what were the beliefs of the whigs
constitutional monarchy
reform to conserve
free trade
what were the beliefs of the liberals
individual liberty
free trade
freedom of the press
religious freedom
what were the beliefs of the peelites?
free trade
what were the beliefs of the radicals
utilitarianism
free trade
parliamentary system
removal of government restriction
what were the problems with the whigs
clashed with a radicals who thought that the Whigs pace of reform was too slow
declining in number- young whigs started to call themselves liberals
what were the problems with the liberals
wanted church and state to be separate
who were the protectionists?
men who wanted to retain the corn law
what was the problem with the radicals
small in number
disgaree with everyone
reform too slow