Pressures to change 1780-1928 Flashcards
1
Q
1780 franchise
A
- only adult males could vote
- uniform county franchise
- varying borough franchise
2
Q
County franchise
A
- freeholders owning property 40 shillings/year
- inflation/rising land price -> more men qualified
3
Q
Borough franchise
A
OPEN BOROUGHS
Preston - vote to all men in constituency at time of election. Independent boroughs, free from influence
ROTTEN BOROUGHS
Most property owned by one person, had once been areas of economic influence but become depopulated, still retained parliamentary representation, eg Dunwich - international port used for trade, frequent storms/erosion -> only left 2MPs
4
Q
Size of electorate
A
- can’t assess as no electoral register until 1832 Act
- 1780 - 214,000 electors
5
Q
Elections and ‘interests’
A
- old system looks corrupt - need reform
- no pressure for reform until 1790s
- happy with system - represented national interests eg agriculture
- bribed electors to vote for them (treating)
- system worked well
- MPs represented economic/political interests of nation
6
Q
Beginning of pressure
A
- electoral system had broad support but
- mid 18th century - new forces came in -> influence economy
- industrialisation of Lancashire, Midlands -> change in balance of economy -> away from agriculture, more towards densely populated towns (north)
- changed the social structure of country - new MC of factory owners, bankers… large urban WC
- industrial interests not strongly rep in parliament so pressure for this grew
7
Q
Pressure for change/reasons for resistance: French Revolution
A
- 1789 outbreak -> impacted politics/society and sparked interest in reform
RADICAL MOVEMENTS - Society for Constitutional Info 1780 - championed full universal suffrage, founded by Major Cartwright
- LCS 1792 - promoted rights of skilled WC, gained support in northern cities
LESS RADICAL MOVEMENTS - Friends of the People 1792 - founded by Whigs, control pace of change by introducing modest amendments to electoral system, more equal rep in Westminster
- but Britain at war with France due to Louis XVI executed, so Pitt’s gvt focused on war not reform
- so Whig ideas ignored - FOP abandoned
- gvt moved to rapidly suppress reform activity -> Habeas corpus suspended, Seditious Meetings Act -> decline in reformer influence (members of LCS charged with sedition)
8
Q
Post-war unrest: Corn Law 1815
A
- Corn Law 1815 made situation worse after end of French war (no domestic peace)
- aimed at protecting economic interests of the landed class -> imposed duty on imported corn
- WC feared bread price increase, manufacturers feared workers would demand higher wages
- so widespread opposition to law - intensified due to 1816 bad harvest -> organised protests
- SHORT TERM -> failed due to gvt military force response
9
Q
Post-war unrest: Spa Fields
A
- meeting 1816 –> riot
- suppressed by city authorities with military support
- 1819 - volunteer yeomanry -> 11 deaths (Peterloo Masscare)
- Long term -> revival of reform interest - more effective/organised in late 1820s
10
Q
Post-war unrest: 1820
A
- gvt had neutralised most radical activity
- pressure had subsided
- Lord Liverpool –> calmness - held together gvt of reformers/conservatives
- 1827 died - so period of calmness ended
- Wellington becomes PM
- meant that unity of Conservative party shattered –> end of Tory dominance
11
Q
Post-war unrest: Catholic Relief Act 1829
A
- 1828 - Fitzgerald appointed to Board of Trade, had to seek re-election in County Clare
- Leader of Cath Assoc (O’Connell) stood against him, defeated him easily but couldn’t take seat because he wouldn’t swear allegiance to the Crown
- Wellington realised that denying O’Connell his seat would cause unrest in Ireland
- so supported the act -> repealed most of anti-Cath legislation
- electoral power of Irish Caths limited further - act raised franchise qual to £10
12
Q
Post-war unrest: Catholic Relief criticised
A
- Tory MPs criticised Wellington for passing relief act
- ultras began to support reform instead
- believed that MPs in a reformed parliament would have to take account of widespread anti-Cath feeling in country, and wouldn’t have supported relief
13
Q
1832 Act: Fall of Wellington’s gvt 1830
A
- June 1830 - George IV died
- General election -> Wellington returns to office but standing in Tory party damaged, several MPs supporting reform returned
- Wellington wasn’t going to support reform
- resigned after gvt defeated in vote at HOC
- Whig Leader, Grey, formed gvt with other reforming groups
- change course of British politics dramatically
14
Q
1832 Act: Pressure for reform 1830
A
- fall of Wellington’s gvt -> removed barrier for reform
- everyone expected Grey to address issue of reform
- pressure now so intense - everyone expected reform
- several factors promoted cause
15
Q
1832: Conditional factors (LT)
A
FRENCH REV - reformists spreading ideas widely liberty/equality, society supported esp if excluded from franchise
WORKING PEOPLE - became politicised due to newspapers/pamphlets spreading rad political ideas to wide audience eg Cobbett’s political register
GROWTH OF POLITICAL MEETINGS - early 19th century, focused on opp to Corn Laws, Peterloo meeting -> demanding reform
16
Q
1832: Contingent factors (ST)
A
TORIES - in power since 1812, but 1820s beginning to fragment due to religion, Wellington unwilling to change
ECONOMIC CRISES - 1820s, harvests were poor so higher food prices
ORGANISATION - protests eg BPU by Attwood -> bring MC and WC together for reform
17
Q
1831-32: 1st reform bill
A
- remove poss of further innovations
- March 1831 -> Russell presented 1st reform bill, MPs stunned by radicalism - replace qual with £10 households qualification
- debates on proposal - reveal divisions between opposers/supporters of reform
- 22nd March - bill passed second reading by 1 vote - unlikely to pass into law
- Grey defeated on amendment, gvt resigned, parliament dissolved
- Whigs return with majority over Tories
18
Q
1831-32: 2nd reform bill
A
- passed easily into HOC
- amendment to county franchise - Chandos Clause -> extend electorate beyond 40shilling freeholders, now tenant farmers £50/yr rent
- increase country electorate by doing this
- HOL rejected by 41 votes -> violent riots eg Bristol - 3 day riots
19
Q
1831-32: 3rd reform bill
A
- 3rd bill passed into HOC
- HOL passed by 9 votes
- But, 7 May - HOL tried to wreck bill, voted to postpone discussion on redistrib of seats
- Grey: “only way to ensure pass through HOL is for William IV to create a large number of pro-reform peers”
- refused –> gvt resigned
20
Q
1831-32: Days of May
A
- national protests against Lords in favour of bill
- Attwood and BPU - prevent Wellington returning as MP
- Wellington unable to form gvt as Peel wouldn’t support
- Grey returned to office
- William agreed to creation of peers for bill to pass -
- Lords gave in and bill passed 1832
21
Q
Impact of 1832 Act on county franchise
A
- 40shilling qual remained, Chandos clause -> tenant farmers £50/yr rent
- electorate in counties rise by 50%
22
Q
Impact of 1832 Act on borough franchise
A
STANDARD BOROUGH FRANCHISE
- male househoulders worth £10/yr
- electorate rose by 40%
UNIFORM BOROUGH FRANCHISE
- more radical, but electors had be residents for 1yr, pay poor rates (many men moved around for work so didn’t qualify)
- enfranchised men in London where rent was high, but not Manc/Leeds where lower
- disappointed with act - skilled WC hoped to be enfranchised but £10 franchise was too high for most
- so expressed this through support for Chartism
23
Q
1867 Act: Revival of interest in reform
A
1865 pressure growing
REFORM UNION 1864
- support from prosperous MC (further own commercial interests eg challenge inefficient gvt
- news reports on Crimean War -> incompetency of military leadership -> deaths in armed forces
- believed that franchise reform –> effective gvt
- supported moderate extension of franchise/secret ballot
REFORM LEAGUE 1865
- larger body, committed to universal manhood suffrage rather than modest household suffrage like Union
- strong following among trade unionists/skilled WC
- hoped reform would improve trade union rights
- more radical than Union but both agreed to work together to promote reform
End of 1865 - both were strong national organisations
Could call on widespread backing to pressure MPs into reform
24
Q
1867 Act: Gladstone
A
- introduced bill to HOC (reduce borough franchise to £7 and extend county franchise to tenants paying £14 rent)
- would add 200,000 in boroughs and 170,000 in counties
- Disraeli and Conservs opposed, as well as Whigs
- Bill failed and gvt resigned in June
- Minority Conserv gvt took office
- Lord Derby = PM
- Disraeli - Chancellor of Exchequer
25
1867 Act: Derby and Disraeli
- took up reform issue because wanted to restore image of Tories as major political force after being in background after split over issues of Corn Laws 1846
- seized opportunity by putting forward own proposals
- influenced by events eg Reform League organising meetings in Trafalgar Square to support Gladstone's reform bill -> defeated -> mass protests
- 200,000ppl at Hyde Park -> riots -> police had support from Life Guards
- league contd to pressure for reform
26
1867 Act: Declining economic situation
1866
- companies collapsed
- heavy rain wiped out crops
- meat prices increased as disease killed cattle
27
1867 Act: Factors promoting reform
- since 1860, had been rise in press -> reflects interest in politics/reform
- Reform Union/League -> mass demonstrations eg Hyde Park riots -> pressure MPs for reform
- Economic distress -> widespread especially in cotton towns of north due to cotton famine
- Conservative party ready to take up issue of refom
28
1867 Act: Factors resisting reform (Disraeli)
- introduced reform proposals 1867 -> split in Tory Party -> Peel resigned
- withdrew proposals, decided on radical measure
- 1867 Act didn't reflect his original proposals (to enlarge borough electorate)
- when passed through HOC, electorate doubled
- bill proposed to give county franchise to £15/yr rent
- extend borough franchise to 2yrs residency (didn't qualify lodgers)
- so new franchises proposed attracted uni grads, professionals and those with £50 in bank
-
29
1867 Act: Factors resisting reform (Hyde Park)
- leaders of Reform League/Union said Tory proposals were too modest so put more pressure for reform
- 6 May - 200,000 people demanding reform
- 15,000 special constables, police, armed forces in case of riots
- Disraeli was ready to accept changes to bill as long as not introduced by Libs (ensure it was a Tory measure)
- rejected some measures eg Mill wanted votes for women
- massive changes in borough franchise -> residency of 2yrs changed to 1yr, lodgers of 1yr paying £10/yr
- Hodgkinson - abolish distinction between men paying rates in person and compounders -> would enfranchise 500,000 men
- Disraeli accepted -> dropped fancy franchises -> bill passed into law Aug 1867
30
1867: Impact on franchise (expanding franchise)
- Gladstone's proposals would've extended by 370,000 but Disraeli made it 2mil
- COUNTIES - 40shilling still there, but now leaseholders/owners of £5/yr, own property £12/yr, expanded county electorate by 260k
- BOROUGHS - all living in property for 1yr, lodgers of 1yr paying £10/year, created urban electorate of 1.2mil
- Wc voters rose eg Sheffield - majority of voters WC
31
1867: Impact on franchise (universal male suffrage)
- not achieved
- only 1/3 adult males could vote (was 1/5 before 1867)
- franchise remained based on property/a stake in the country
- householder granted vote but other male family members weren't
- 1yr residency meant those moving for work couldn't vote
32
1867: Impact on franchise (parties adjusting)
- adjusted to new electorate
- WC voters expected reforms that tackled problems
- 1870s - Conservs and Lib gvts responded to new political evt with new reforms
- tackle education
- urban housing
- public health
- recognised needed to win support of electorate -> spread party msg to new voters
33
1884 Act: Gladstone returns to office
- 1880 election - Gladstone returns to office
- still contest between Tories and Libs
- no signif pressure for reform to electoral system
- Gladstone found it hard to maintain different franchises between boroughs/counties (household suffrage in boroughs but more restrictive in counties)
- it was assumed that new county voters eg small tenant farmers would vote Libs -> weakened Tories
34
1884 Act: Introduction of reform bill
- replace separate/unequal franchises for counties/boroughs with single national qualification - male householders and £10 lodgers
- passed easily through HOC but blocked by HOL due to Salisbury
- Salisbury aware that Lib strength came from boroughs, whilst Tories dominated county seats
- feared widening of franchise would weaken Tory dominance and establish Lib dominance over towns/countryside so rejection reflected concerns
35
1884 Act: Queen Victoria
- urged Tories and Libs to negotiate
- met at Salisbury's home
- Arlington Street compact agreed
- Tories would allow bill to pass as long as there was major redistribution of seats
- following the compact, bill passed into law
- now a uniform, national qualification based on household suffrage in towns/counties
- dramatic increase in size of electorate -> rose by 84% to 5.5mil (2.5mil voters added)
36
1884 Act: Impact
- believed it created a democratic electoral system
- untrue -> excluded many adult males eg sons of household owners, armed forces
- women still disenfranchised
- excluded 40% of men - not addressed until WW1
37
1918 Act
TRIPLED ELECTORATE - from 7mil to 21mil, and 8mil women
- all adult males 21+ given vote
- men 19-20 in war could vote
- universal male suffrage conceded - step towards democracy -> enfranchised over 5mil men
38
1918 Act: Women's suffrage
- decided it could not be ignored
- moved towards it cautiously
- women 30+, as long as householders or wives of one, uni grads, rented property £5/yr
- meant 20% women 30+ couldn't vote
- women now stood for election eg 1918 election Nancy Astor took seat in 1919
- rewarded women for work on Western Front - but most under 30 so didn't qualify
- opponents of universal suffrage influenced by memory of violent suffragette agitation, so feared same thing now
39
1928 Act: NUSEC
- formed from NUWSS - contd to point out inequalities between men/women
- 1/5 employed women could vote - most professional women rented so couldn't vote
- 1918 reform kept working women disenfranchised
40
1928 Act: Labour
- proposed women's emancipation bill 1919 - women 21+, equal suffrage rights but failed
- 1918-27 - NUSEC kept question of equal franchise open in parliament
- Tories trying to attract women voters under Baldwin
- until 1927 - majority of MPS opposed equal franchise for women 21+, but now believed this was key to future of party
- by 1928- - more than 1mil female Tory members
- did better in constituencies with high proportion of female voters -> Labour struggled
- 1927 - Baldwin's cabinet agreed to extend franchise to women 21+ - secure female Conserv voters
