Representation in 1783 Flashcards
What was representation in Parliament like? Why?
- poor
- dominated by aristocrats as mps were not paid
- patronage made it corrupt
- mps stood for office for self-advancement
- mps benefitted from this system and saw no need for reform
- to sit in the house of lords, you needed a peerage
those who have the right to vote
What did the franchise depend on in 1783?
landowning status
How many people could vote in 1783?
- 250,000
less than 10%
What was representation like in the franchise in 1783? Why?
- poor
- women could not vote
- men under 25 could not vote
- most working men were excluded from voting
- too many voting requirements
What is a constituency?
the group of voters in an area that vote for an elected representative
What made up the constituency in 1783?
counties and boroughs
What was a county? What were the voting requirements?
- the shires
- men had to own freehold land with value of 40 shillings
- most counties were bigger than boroughs = bigger electorates
What is 40 shillings today?
£200
inflation = to vote you would have had to be at least upper middle class
What is a borough?
- important centres which had declined
- voting requirements varied greatly
What is a ‘pocket borough’?
- boroughs controlled by wealthy landowners
What is a ‘rotten borough’?
- small electorate but still sent two MPs to Parliament
How many english boroughs had an electorate under 100?
over 40%
What is a ‘scot and lot’ borough?
- taxes had to be paid to vote
- majority of population were working class and couldn’t afford it
What areas were under represented?
- north; industrialisation
- scotland
How many MPs did Scotland have?
only 45
What ares were more repsentative?
the midlands
What was representation like in local and national government? Why?
- poor
- despite Britain being ‘democratic’, most people did not have the opportunity to engage in local and national issues
Who were the Lord Lieutenants? How were they appointed?
- aristocrats
- royal appointment
Who appointed Justices of Peace?
- gentry and clergy
What was there a lack of both regionally and nationally in 1783?
police force
Who were towns overseen by?
gentry with landowning status
How were MPs appointed in ‘pocket boroughs’?
wealthy landowners decided and were not opposed
How did the expense of elections contribute to the corruption of elections?
wealthy landowners would choose the MPs, to avoid funding an election, so the locals would not get to use their vote
What and when was the Septennial Act?
- 1716
- general election every 7 years
Why was the Septennial act not effective?
seats were never contested because MPs saw no need for reform
How are parties in 1783 different to today?
very fluid; members would switch parties
When and what was the Oxfordshire election?
1754
Whigs decided to challenge the Tory stronghold = a lot of corruption took place in both parties to win
What was representation in elections like? Why?
- poor
- lack of secret ballot
What were election practices like?
- corrupt and unserious
- parties took place during elections
- voters easily swayed by food and drink
- violence and intimidation used
- bribery and debauchery
What would election agents do, making them violent and corrupt?
hire criminals to attack the supporters of their opponents and cooping
