Reform And Challenge 1851-1886- Political And Social Flashcards
1874 election- votes vs seats
Liberals 52% and tory 44% vote
Liberals 242 seats/37% seatS
TORY 54% seat/350
Colourable employment
Giving people ficticous or nominal jobs as a cover for paying them to vote for a particular candidate
Treating
Giving or offering food and drink in order to influence how poeple vote
Bagehot quote against parliamentary reform
-liberal political journalist
‘The masses are infinitely too ignorant to make much of gvernment themselves and they do not know their mind when they see it’
Influence of charles darwin in arguments against parliamentary reform
Hereditary genius 1869
-argued that intelligence was inherited
-showed through familu trees of britains notable families (including his own)
-therefore ‘great’ aristocratic families were ‘fitest torun the gov
Good example of social mobility at this time
In Peel family
Moved from yeomen famre to baronet (as leading industrialist) to PM in three generations
Example of poor distribution of seats after 1932 reform act
10 counties in south
Combined opp of 3.3 mill had 156 sears
Whilst middlesex, lancashire, west yorkshire has 3.7 mill but only 58 serass
Borough seats vs votes
62% seats with only 43% voters
Repeal
Removal of a law
Free trade
Low or no tarrifs on foreign imports
Allow for competition
Monarch in 1851
-had soveriegn power
-influenced elections
-could appoint and dismiss mnisters
-summoned parliament to meet
-not involved in day to day business of governing the country
Example of abuse of power by mocnarch
1839- bedchamber crisis
-where queen vic tried to keep earl of melbourne even though peel had been elected
Landowning classes
Made up of aristocarcy and landed gentry
Aristocracy
-made up of approx 200 wealthiest families
-had titles
-mansions and may have house in london
So had 2 votes
-leadership in politial matters
-set standards in taste and manners
Which were copied by lower classes
Landed gentry
-made up of approx 13000 families
-had a leisured way of life
-many MPs or Jps
But werent payed until 1911
Middle class 1851
-0growing in number
-many gained walth from industry
Factory owners ,lawyers, doctors
-Educated
-Free trade and minimal gov interference
-attempted to move up socialclasses
Through benefiting land or marrying
-many nonconformistts
Working class 1851
-atisans (skilled workers) to unskilled worers
-manual labour
-long hours, low pau
-unemployment and distress during trade depression
-poor harvests
High bread prices
-industrial action
Trade unions
Church
-established church
Anglican cofe
-monarch is the head of state
-strong in rural richer areas
-clergy- get money from tithes- 10%
-seating in church reflect social heirachy
Non conformist
Eg. Methodists
-growth
-life after death better
Appealed to the working classes
House of lords 1851
-aristocracy
-inherited position
-power to veto laws passed in house of commons
House of commons 1851
-allow aristocracy
-had to be a land owner
600 pounds/year income county, 300 in boroughs
-elected chamber
But onl 8% pop could vote
-passed laws
Constituencies 1851
Little even distribution of seats and pop
-north under-represented
South over
Example south and north representation
Some ‘rotten boroughs’ has 2 mps
Whilst manchester, birmingham and leeds had only 1 each
franchise
Who could vote
Contested seets
-in boroughs
-1806-31
Fewer than 40% contested
-corrupt manner
‘Treating’ and coloured employment
-no secret voting
Uncontested seats
-county seats
-dominated by peers and landowners
Result a given
12 month residency- how party politics
Discriminated against significant proportion of working class males
Possibly as high as 30%- moved frequently from one rented accomodation to another
What did creation of 3 member constituencies mean
-in birmingham and leeds
-each elector vote 2 candidates
-lead to creation of local organisation to direct distribution of liberal votes to ensure all 3 candidates votes
Conservatives followed suit
Temperance movements
-against alcohol so wanted ban
Esp methodists and religious peolpe
-licencing act attempt to appease this movement- but seen as not going far enough
‘Better England free than England sober’ bishop of Peterborough’
Religion in liberal party 1868
Anglicans 282
Nonconformists 64
Also support ‘radical celtic fringe’ in ireland (36)) and scotland
However liberal organisatinos outside parliament many driven by nonconformists
Liberal non-conformist organisations
Liberation society
The Liberator- newspaper
United kingdom alliance (temperance organisation)
Alliance News- 25,000 weekly copies sold
National education league
Newslete 20,000 subscriptions
How constituencies more equal sized 1885
Should be around 50,000 people
Independant boundaru commissions set up to ensure
Example of villatoryism sucess
Sheffiled hallam set up
Vote for conservatives always 1885-1997
Apart from 1916-1918
Despite sheffield not being typical conservative county
Quote for support of conspiracy and protection of property act 1875
Robert blake
‘Satisfactorily settled the position of labour for a generation’
Trade unionist quote for support for Disraeli’s reforms
Alexander macdonald
‘The conservatives had done more for the working classes in 6 years than the Liberals had done in 50’
Quotes about improving public health
Manchester speech 1872
‘Public attention’. ‘Be concentrated upn sanitary legislation’
‘Pure air, pure water’ ‘the inspection of unhealthy habitations’ ‘adultarion of food’
‘First consideration of the people should be the health of the people’
Dissing gladstone on empire
Disraeli crystal palace 1872
‘Attempt of liberalism’ ‘effect the disintegration of the empire ‘
Quote for appealing to working classes - disraeli
Crystal palace speech 1872
‘Elevation of the condition of the people’
criticising gladstone on what hes done badly
Manchester speech 1872
‘Despoil churches and plunder landlords’
‘Every instition’
Foreign office was excluded why?
As foreign minister, Lord granville refused to accept army and civil service reforms
How many involved in hyde park riots
200,000
Proportion of men in boroughs excluded from vote
40%
Disraeli critical of whigs
Whig ‘oligarchy’
‘Small knot of great families who have no object but their own aggrandisement,’ ‘seek to gratify it by all possible means’
Conservative quotes shwoing how they appealed tomore
Disraeli both quotes
‘It appeals with a keener sympathy to the passions of the millions’
Reforms lead to ‘secure the social welfare of the people’
Gladstone opinon to wealth
Wealth a ‘trust’ which should be increased to ‘fructify the pockets of the people’
Disraeli impact on other parties
Hirst
‘Usurped Radicalism’ ‘dished Whiggism’
‘Educated toryism’
Quote suggesting disraeli poor at coming up with own ideas
Blake
‘His mind was like a catherine wheel shooting out sparks. Most of them fell on damp earth’
But ‘excelled in art of presentation’
Gladstone’s reliigious beliefs became less imposig/more relaxed
Butler
He moved ‘from a belief in a Christian commonwealth towards the liberal ideal of a freechurch in a free state’
Disraeli jewishness significance
Moneypenny and buckle
Good as meant always ‘a little detached when in he act of leading;always the spectator, almost the critic, as well as the principle perfomer’
Enabled him to preside over it
university tests act
1871
Gladstone withdrew exclusive rights of anglicans to teach,administer or hold scholarships at oxbridge
Judicare act
1873
Consolodate existing 7 courts into supeme courts
Removed power of house of lords as final court of appeal
Length of service overseas reduced
12-6 years aborad
6 years in reserves at home
Improvements to army
Commander in chief uner secretaryfor war
Divided country into 96 districts
Each with regiment
Factory and workshops act
1878
Shift duty of factory expectorates from local authorities to central gov
Married womens property act
1882
Restored to marry women their property rights they had possessed when signal
Defence on permissive nature of artisans dwelling act
Cross on own law
Did not ‘infringe the laws of political economy;
Alternative opinion- gladstone didnt care about social reform
Adelmen
‘The aim was primarily efficiency and economy’
Disraeli cared about people
Wilkinson
‘Throughout his career in Parliament he consistently supported all measues of social reform;
Tory democracy not serious policy/idea
Adelmen
‘Windy rhetoric’`
Gladstone principled in approach to ireland
Feuchtwanger
;the irish church disestablishment and irish land bills were the work of gladstone’ noth in principle and detail’
After 1885 how many constituencies 2 mps
23/670
Rest single member
Why disreali want to expand electorate
Moneypenny and buckle suggest that disreali thought electorate truly consevrvatie``
Hyde park riots not that bad compared to
Events in bristol and nottingham in 1831
Motive behin gladtsone 1884 reform
Gash
Wanted to ‘round off his term of office on a creditable reforming note’
Compensate for gov’s unpopularity over egypt
Why redistribution act 1885 and 1884 reform
-liberals 1877 formally committted to extend suffrage
-quen worried aout prospect of major constitutional crisis
Requested a meeting between sailsbury and gladstone- agreed
Group who couldnt vote after 1884 third reform act
Women
12 month residency
Domestic servants
Quote that gladstone upset everyone
‘Harasseed every trade, worried every profession, and assailed or menaed every class, instition and species of property inthe country’
Gladstone’s use of morals
Stansky
‘Equation of private morality with public action’
Wealth as ‘trust’ which shuld be conserved and increased so can ;fructify in the pocketys of the peoplle’
Forster’s education act and religion motive
Gladstone aimed to spread christianity by extending literacy
Imporvements in military equipmemt
Martini henry rifle
Who could grant licences to pubs
Magistrates
Example of adulterated food
Graphite and black lead in tea
Friendly sociteies act
1855
Friendly societies held large amounts of money, given greater protection
-registered w/ gov and make regular reports
