Representation in 1783 Flashcards
1
Q
What was representation in Parliament like? Why?
A
- 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
2
Q
A
those who have the right to vote
3
Q
What did the franchise depend on in 1783?
A
landowning status
4
Q
How many people could vote in 1783?
A
- 250,000
less than 10%
5
Q
What was representation like in the franchise in 1783? Why?
A
- poor
- women could not vote
- men under 25 could not vote
- most working men were excluded from voting
- too many voting requirements
6
Q
What is a constituency?
A
the group of voters in an area that vote for an elected representative
7
Q
What made up the constituency in 1783?
A
counties and boroughs
8
Q
What was a county? What were the voting requirements?
A
- the shires
- men had to own freehold land with value of 40 shillings
- most counties were bigger than boroughs = bigger electorates
9
Q
What is 40 shillings today?
A
£200
inflation = to vote you would have had to be at least upper middle class
10
Q
What is a borough?
A
- important centres which had declined
- voting requirements varied greatly
11
Q
What is a ‘pocket borough’?
A
- boroughs controlled by wealthy landowners
12
Q
What is a ‘rotten borough’?
A
- small electorate but still sent two MPs to Parliament
13
Q
How many english boroughs had an electorate under 100?
A
over 40%
14
Q
What is a ‘scot and lot’ borough?
A
- taxes had to be paid to vote
- majority of population were working class and couldn’t afford it
15
Q
What areas were under represented?
A
- north; industrialisation
- scotland
