ROPA's and other Legislation Flashcards
What did the 1832 Reform Act impact?
- County electorate raised to 370,000
- Borough electorate rose to 280,000
- 56 Rotten and Pocket boroughs losing both MPs
- 19 new boroughs with 1 MP created
- 64 new County Seats
- £10 property requirement
- Uniform System of Franchises
Why was there pressure for 1832 reform act?
- French Revolution
- American Independence
- Industrial Cities underrepresented
- Growing Political Education (LCS)
- Economic Frustration
- Peterloo Massacre
what were the Causes of the 1832 reform act?
Failure of Pitts Proposals
- 1782 proposal for creation of committee to address issues of parliamentary appreciation was defeated
- 1783 proposals to disfranchise corrupt boroughs defeated
- 1785 measure to abolish 36 corrupt boroughs was defeated in house of commons
Riots and Protests
- October 1832
Why were some people disappointed by the 1832 reform act?
the Skilled working class hoped to be enfranchised
- £10 too high for many
- this increased support for chartists
what is 1867 Reform Act impact?
- 11 New Constituencies (industrial cities)
- Doubled Franchise to 2 Million
- Led to working class majority electorate
what is 1867 Reform Act impact in Boroughs?
- Disenfranchised boroughs with less than 10,000 people
- enfranchised men Owning or Occupying with over 1 year residency
- Enfranchised Lodgers who pay more than £10 in rent /year and have been residents for over 1 year
what is 1867 Reform Act impact in Counties?
- Enfranchised men owning or leasing land worth £5/year
- Enfranchised men occupying land worth £12/year & who payed poor rates
Why was there pressure for 1867 reform act?
- Pro-reform Russel is PM
- 1865 Reform League
- Increasing external support from Reform Unions
- Victorian notions of respectability
How was the 1867 Reform Act passed?
- Conservatives widen the split within the Liberals
- Leads to collapse of Russel’s gov
- Conservative Lord Derby becomes PM
- Feb 1867 Disraeli introduces new bill (later withdrawn)
- March 1867 Disraeli introduces new radical bill (lowers county property requirement)
- Reform union believe this to be too modest
- More demonstrations in Hyde Park lead to Disraeli extending reform of the bill
- August 1867 bill is passed
what is 1884 ROPA impact?
- Electorate rose by 84% to 5 Million
- 2/3 of adult males can vote
- Uniform franchise qualification in Boroughs and Counties
- Enfranchised Agricultural Labourers
how was the 1884 ROPA passed?
Gladstone made deal with the Tories
- They get to pass the 1884 ROPA
- in return in Tories get to pass the 1885 Redistribution Act
- Arlington Street Compact was held at the request of Queen Victoria
what were the Causes of the 1884 reform act?
Gladstone believing the 2nd reform act suggested it was safe to enfranchise agricultural labourers - Victorian notions of respectability
what were the problems with the 1884 ROPA?
- Residency Qualifications
- 1 Voter per household
- Complicated Registration process
- Plural Voting (some people get extra votes)
what were the causes of the 1918 ROPA
- Labour Party wanted universal male suffrage
- 1897 NUWSS (suffragists)
- 1903 WSPU (suffragettes)
- First World War (armed forces couldn’t vote & women served in forces)
what was the impact of the 1918 ROPA?
- Speakers Conference 1916 proposed all males over 21 enfranchised
- Males 19-20 who served could also vote in postwar election
- enfranchised 5 Million males
- Female suffrage
What was Female suffrage in the 1918 ROPA?
- women aged 30 and over
- householders or wives of householders
- University Graduates
- women who rented properties at £5/year
Was disputed as loss of life in war would make women majority
Seen as reward for War Work
what was the impact of 1928 ROPA?
Extended the franchise to all women over 21
how was the 1928 ROPA passed?
- Labour 1919 bill for women emancipation was blocked - would’ve given vote to all women over 21
- Equal Franchise bills proposed every year in 1920’s
- PM Baldwin saw it as a way to attract female voters
Why were people opposed to the 1928 ROPA?
articles in the Daily Mail claimed that it was ‘Giving the vote to Flappers’
- depicted Women as Young, Single, Sexually Active and Politically ignorant
- aimed to stir Conservative opposition within the Party
what was the 1885 Redistribution Act?
it allowed the Conservatives to redraw boundaries to make electoral districts equal
what led to the 1885 Redistribution Act?
1874 Conservative Victory convinced Lord Salisbury that extension of the Franchise hadn’t damaged Conservative support
- franchise changes weren’t as important as national distribution of seats so would benefit the conservatives
What was the Ballot Act 1872?
Introduced secret voting to decrease the influence of Bribery and Intimidation of Landowners in Small Boroughs.
- Gladstone thought this would benefit the newly enfranchised working class
- also led to less rowdy elections
How was Ballot Act 1872 passed?
Radicals & Reformers campaigned for an end to open voting
- Opposition from Russel and due to secret voting being deemed cowardly
- Did somewhat decrease bribery but people could now accept bribes from both sides
What was the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883?
- restricted each candidate to one paid election agent who would produce an official report of election expenses
- specified maximum expenditure for each type of constituency (e.g. 2000 voters - £710)
- prescribed penalties including imprisonment for corrupt practices
what led to the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883?
- 1880 election 38% of electors in Gloucester accepted bribes
- Cost of elections deterred working class from running
- Cost of electioneering spiralling out of control
- Desire for Respectability
