Reform Acts - 1868-83 Flashcards
Why did Gladstone win the 1868 election?
The Campaign
- Gladstone realised that the new voters had to be won over and made a series of speeches to mass audiences across the country
- Whilst, Disraeli made a single speech
Why did Gladstone win the 1868 election?
Liberal Policy - what were they?
- Whig tradition of religious toleration - support from nonconformists and radicals.
- The slogan was ‘Justice for Ireland’ - party unity Ireland had re-emerged as a concern following another outbreak of Fenian violence in 1867.
- The policies proposed, principally disestablishment of the Church of Ireland, had broad appeal as they offered a solution to a major concern and a key grievance of the age, especially given the hope that the ideas would be extended to mainland Britain in time.
Why did Gladstone win the 1868 election?
Liberal Policy - what were they?
- BROAD APPEAL - offered a solution to a major concern and a key grievance of the age, principally disestablishment of the Church of Ireland
List the 5 groups inside parliament that made up Gladstone’s Liberal Party - a coalition
- Liberals
- The Whigs
- Radicals
- Irish MPs
- The Peelites
List the 5 groups outside parliament that made up Gladstone’s Liberal Party - a coalition
- Section men or Faddists
- Regional support
- Non-conformists
- New Model Unions
Gladstone’s liberal party - inside parliament
Explain who the liberals were
- From industrial and commercial backgrounds.
- Joined forces with the Whigs in the 1830s.
- Support free trade, press freedom and freedom of religion.
Gladstone’s liberal party - inside parliament
Explain who the Whigs were
- Very aristocratic and old fashioned
- Passed 1832 and 1833-41 reforms
- Now their numbers are falling and are mainly in the Lords e.g. Lord Hartington
Gladstone’s liberal party - inside parliament
Explain who the Radicals were
Includes a variety of MPs who supported radical change
Gladstone’s liberal party - inside parliament
Explain who the Peelites were
- Former followers of Sir Robert Peel who support free trade (and hence left the Conservative Party after Corn Law repeal in 1846)
- Mainly from commercial / industrial backgrounds e.g. Gladstone
Gladstone’s liberal party - inside parliament
Explain who the Irish MPs were
- Had voted against the Tories since before 1832.
- Support Liberals until they set up their own party in 1870 (Home Rule party)
Gladstone’s liberal party - outside parliament
Explain who the Section Men or Faddists were
- Various pressure groups
- e.g. Libertarian Society (disestablishment), Land Reformers, United Kingdom Alliance (temperence) and The National Education League
Gladstone’s liberal party - inside parliament
Inside parliament, how is the liberal coalition constructed
- The following groups of MPs were brought together formally in the Willis Tea Rooms in 1859
- as a result of their common desire to support Italian Unification and oppose Derby’s Minority government
Gladstone’s liberal party - outside parliament
Explain who the New Model Unions were
- Represent skilled workers such as engineers and carpenters.
- Want formal recognition of Trades Unions.
Gladstone’s liberal party - outside parliament
Explain what the regional support was
- Strong appeal from the ‘celtic fringe (Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Southwest England)
Gladstone’s liberal party - outside parliament
Explain who the Non-conformists were
- Want religious and political equality with the Anglicans. Also support education and temperence.
Assess the strengths of the Gladstonian coalition
- lots of ideas & potential support
Assess the weaknesss of the Gladstonian coalition
- lots of possible divisions
- in keeping some people happy, their action will not suffice to satiate others
List the 5 areas of reform by the Gladstonian Coalition government
- Modernising the state & civil equality
- Education
- Drink
- Social Reform
- Labour Laws
Modernising the state & Civil Equality
Summary of the key changes under Gladstone
- improve army & civil service to stop aristocracts buying jobs
- & the law courts are rationalised
Education
Summary of the key changes under Gladstone
- get rid of the university test
- Forsters Act: National Free Education (elementary)
- local school boards set up
Education
Summary of the key changes under Disraeli
- makes education compulsory
Drink
Summary of the key changes under Gladstone
- introduces liscensing laws & increases magistrates powers
Drink
Summary of the key changes under Disraeli
- extend opening hours & reduce magistrates powers
Social Reform
Summary of the key changes under Gladstone
- bringing together all local authroities under a minister
- local medical officers established to send reports to govt, improving healthcare
Social Reform
Summary of the key changes under Disraeli
- gave council powers to undertake slum clearance, dealing with slum housing, poorly made from the industrial revolution
- & making sea ships more safe
Labour Laws
Summary of the key changes under Gladstone
- legalise trade unions & improve working conditions in mines
- rights of companies & workers to strike ensured
Labour Laws
Summary of the key changes under Disraeli
- Factory Acts to improve working conditions
- This was a consolidating measure with less impact & was hence less controversial
What are the arguments for the secret ballot
- Eliminate intimidation, influence and corruption
- Reduce the influence of the wealthy / landowners
- Reduce the cost of elections
Who was a secret ballot supported by
- Some Liberals
- Radicals - who felt it would give voters greater freedom
What are the arguments against a secret ballot
- Cowardly and furtive - not an English idea
- Interfered with property rights and values
Who was a secret ballot opposed by
- Conservatives - who feared it would disproportionately damage their electoral fortunes in county seats / rural areas.
- Some Liberals including Gladstone but especially the Whigs
The Ballot Act (1872)
Why was John bright neccessary to the passing of the act
- Mp - could assert political pressure in campaign
- has a social conscience
- background of reform - ACLL
The Ballot Act (1872)
How did John Bright ensure the passing of the act
- promoted the pact principally, campaigning for it ever since he entered parliament in the 1840s
The Ballot Act (1872)
Gladstone wanted Bright to serve in his cabinet to….. so the bill….
- ensure continued radical support
- was the price he had to pay for this
The Ballot Act (1872)
Who ensured the bill was passed through
Gladstone
The Ballot Act (1872)
What did it do
Electors were to vote by secretly marking a printed ballot paper with a cross and placing it in a sealed ballot box
The Ballot Act (1872)
What were its long-term successes
- allowed political groups to oppose traditionally powerful figures in certain areas, e.g Irish home rule
- made voting more representative & democratic
- improved the efficiency of the elctoral process
The Ballot Act (1872)
What were its short term limits
- In many areas voters chose to overlook the secrecy of the ballot in deference to their landlords & are still willing to be bribed
- Landlord influence continued to be a factor in many areas until WW1
- The introduction of a secret ballot was largely a symbolic gesture of the reduction of corruption
The Ballot Act (1872)
Was the ballot as important as the chartists thought
- Not as significant as Chartists thought, not impactful until made a criminal offence, combined with the 1883 Corrupt Practises Act
1874 Election
Why was the result of the 1874 election different to 1868
- Gladstone had divided his party & annoyed his electorate (key swing voters, the m/c alarmed at rate of reform)
- Disraeli did an effective campaign
- Rise of the Irish Home rule party in Ireland
1874 Election
How far can Disraeli’s victory be put down to the impact of the 1867 Reform Act
- All liberal issues & tory successes are both connected to the 1867 reform act
What was the result of the 1874 Election
Disraeli’s conservative’s convincingly defeated the liberals
Why was the result of the 1880 election different to 1874
- timing
- economic problems & foreign policy issues
- party organisation
- campaigning
Explain why the result of the 1880 election different to 1874
Economic Problems
- unpopular rises in income tax due to expensive military campaigns e.g Afghanistan
- agricultural depression in 1877 - government refuse to reintroudce tarriffs
Explain why the result of the 1880 election different to 1874
The Campaigns
- Gladstone’s Midlothian attacks 1879, which criticised the morality of Disraeli’s foreign policy, which proved effective in attracting both attention & support as did Liberal attacks over the economy
- Meanwhile Disraeli did very little as his health was deteriorating
What was the result of the 1880 election
- Heavy defeat for Disraeli & the conservatives
How far can the Conservative loss of the 1880 election be put down to the 1867 Reform Act
- 1867 - less voters, so govt more likely to hang on,
- 1880 - electorate more representative, govt more likely to be punished for issues
Summarise the weaknesses of Gladstone’s Second Ministry
- Growing divide in liberal party between Gladstone, Chamberlain & Hartington
- Petty arguments - foreign policy, war in Afghanistan difficult to solve
- & the Bradlaugh Case (an antheist MP refused to swear on the Bible)
- Glastone rturning to leader again annoyed people
- Irish Home rule disrupted HofC proceedings
In what way was Gladstone repsonisble for the growing split in the liberal party in 1880
- Gladstone resigned leadership of the Liberals after the 1874 defeat & Hartington had led the party till the 1880 election
- But Gladstone was still widely regarded as the only viable Prime Minister in the party (Midlothian speeches asseted this) so Hartington willingly stepped aside
List the reasons for why reform returned to the agenda after 1880
- need a popular & achievable policy
- don’t want to anger electorate
- reform doesn’t cost money - significant considering lack of economic prosperity
NO POPULAR PRESSURE
When was the Corrupt practises act
1883
What did the Corrupt Practises Act do
- Makes it illegal to do certain things in elections:
- 1 set a limit on expenditure by politcal parties & candidates
- 2 prohibited bribery
- 3 required expenditure to be accounted for by an election agent
- 4 introduced penalties for breaking rules, from fine to imprisonment & expulsion from the commons
What was the impact of the 1883 Corrupt Practises Act
- makes secret ballot act be effective & succesful
- reduces expenditure on elections for candidates by 6X
Give a statistic evidencing why the Corrupt Practises Act was neccessary
ln Gloucester, 38% of the 5670 electors had taken bribes
