Pressure for parliamentary reform after the Whigs came to power Flashcards
What had successive governments in the early 19th century had to deal with?
The build up of pressure to radically change the outdated system of parliamentary elections
List the kind of reforms people were demanding at this time?
- Universal male suffrage
- Equal electoral districts
- The secret ballot
- The payment of MPs
- The removal of property qualifications to stand as an MP
- Annual elections
Give an example of two popular radicals at this time
Henry Hunt and William Corbett
What needed to happen to this pressure in 1830?
It needed to find a release
When did opportunity for change come about?
With the defeat of Wellington’s Tory government in Nov 1830, removing a stubborn obstruction and allowing Grey’s more open minded government to come to power
What did most of the Whigs believe about political reform at this time?
That political innovation was necessary, otherwise uncontrollable change might overwhelm the existing social order
What did most Tories continue to regard parliamentary as?
A recipe for future disaster
What did the Whigs and moderate Radicals see as the best way forward?
Moderate reform - removing the worst rotten boroughs and giving representation to the growing industrial towns
How did the Whig reform bill run into trouble in Oct 1831?
The Tory House of Lords rejected it
What was the reaction to this rejection?
The prospect of a small aristocratic elite holding back the forces of progress and democracy was seen as unacceptable to the reformers, even to the Whigs who were part of this aristocratic elite
List the pressures that encouraged Grey’s government to persist with the reform
Thomas Attword’s Birmingham Political Union inspired other similar groups to form in other places and through petitions, mass meetings, demonstrations and sometimes rioting, they demanded ‘the bill, the whole bill and nothing but the bill’
What about men like Attwood made the elite especially worried?
Because even though they spoke out against violence, there were subtly threatening undertones that Britain could be on the verge of revolution if the people’s demands were ignored
What do historians disagree on about this time?
The likelihood of revolution
What does Hilton say in support of the idea that there could have been revolution at this time?
‘For a brief period control passed out of the hands of the parliamentary classes and into the hands of the radicals’
What does Fraser say against the idea that revolution was likely at this time?
Saw the massive demonstrations as ‘symptoms of popular discontent rather than revolutionary calls to arms’
What did the middle class think before industrialisation?
It was still relatively small and industrialisation had not brought economic benefits to them yet, so they had been willing to accept that political power and authority rested in the hands of the landed aristocracy
How did middle class attitudes to political power change after industrialisation?
As they grew in number and more of their members enjoyed wealth and prosperity, they believed they had a right as responsible, contributing, educated citizens to take a real share in power
What was the common complaint raised by the industrial and commercial middle class?
They complained that they were not best served by the landed aristocracy whom they believed acted in their own selfish interests and made poorly judged economic decisions
Which two thinkers were the middle classes most influenced by?
The radical utilitarian thinkers Jeremy Bentham and James Mill, who wrote extensively about democracy and reform
What did Mill criticise in Essays on Government (1825)?
The predominance of the aristocracy in government
How did Bentham criticise parliament?
Because it failed to achieve the greatest happiness for the greatest number, as its role was to take responsibility for governing the entire country but it only satisfied the needs of a minority and therefore needed to be reformed
How did the working class engage politically during the post war years?
They were drawn to radicalism in the post war years but their interest fell away as the economy improved
What did the middle class think to the politicisation of the working class?
They dismissed them, thinking they were not educated enough to vote
What did William Corbett write about working class interest in reform at this time?
He said it was about bringing them tangible social and economic benefits
