Social composition of the House of Commons

Question 1

1780 - 1832 social composition

Answer 1

Still a dominance of landowners and agriculture - around 1/5 of all MPs were the sons or brothers of peers.

Overwhelmingly Anglican.

Question 2

1780 - 1832 How many were also men of property e.g merchants, bankers and industrialists

Answer 2

Another c110 were also men of property

Question 3

1710 - 1832 Although there were some radicals, where were they from?

Answer 3

Privileged backgrounds

Question 4

What is the change in the social composition in the House of Commons in 1829?

Answer 4

Catholic MPs can sit in Commons after 1829 Catholic Emancipation was passed by Wellington, especially Irish MPs (but still from relatively privileged backgrounds)

Question 5

`Overall change in social composition 1780-1832?

Answer 5

• Overall - VERY LITTLE CHANGE. If anything, dominance of propertied classes grows.
• Pitt creates lots of new peerages in the 1780s and 1790s - arguably this increases aristocratic dominance.
• Any decision could be vetoed by the House of Lords which was dominated by nobility and wealthy landowners.
• MPs and Lords - unpaid. Only the rich who could afford to support themselves with independent income could afford to be MPs.

Question 6

1832 social composition impact

Answer 6

Has little impact on the social composition of the Commons. Could argue this is a key turning point in the long term change but in short term increase in county seats actually helps the power of the country gentlemen, and reduces the ability of wealthier industrialists/merchants to purchase seats as they had done pre-1832.

Could be seen as a turning point as more middle class voters eventually leads to more middle class candidates and begins the reduction in the importance of property.

Question 7

Evidence that 1832 was not significant in changing social composition

Answer 7

• Most cabinet ministers and all prime ministers in the next 30 years, except Sir Robert Peel, were members of the aristocracy.
• Very few industrialists entered Parliament as MPs as there was no payment of MPs and you had to own land worth £600 to be able to stand as a parliamentary candidate.
• Professional men such as lawyers and doctors continued to form the majority of middle-class MPs.
• The landed classes continued to dominate Parliament.
• 70 still controlled by large landowners after 1832. Seats still bought and sold e.g Lord Aberdeen pays £2000 for a seat for his son in the 1840s.
• Extension of the franchise doesn’t lead to influx of middle-class MPs and still no working class MPs at all.
• Historian JR Vincent: studies 456 Liberal MPs in Parliament from 1859-1874. He found that 198=large landowners and 151=businessmen.

Question 8

In the post-reform election of December 1832, what percentage of MPs were landowners (gentry)? How many actually came from industrial/commercial backgrounds?

Answer 8

December 1832: 75% of the MPs elected were landowners and fewer than 100 were from industrial or commercial backgrounds.

Question 9

Example of seats being bought and sold after 1832

Answer 9

Lord Aberdeen pays £2000 for a seat for one of his sons in the 1840s.

Question 10

Post 1832: When historian JR Vincent studies 456 Liberal MPs in Parliament from 1859-1874, how many were large landowners and businessmen?

Answer 10

198=large landowners
151=businessmen

Question 11

Evidence for 1832 being significant in social composition

Answer 11

• More middle class voters eventually leads to more middle class candidates and begins the reduction in the importance of property.
• The new middle classes, especially the manufacturing interest, were now more solidly represented in parliament.
• The middle classes had been recognised and admitted into into the political system.

Question 12

1832 ultimate impact on social composition

Answer 12

Redistribution of seats as a result of the 1832 reform act enabled representation of the manufacturing class in the Commons and so changed its composition.

However, doesn’t lead to an influx of middle-class MPs and still no working class MPs at all. Intent was to secure aristocratic control and Whig principles.

Question 13

How does 1832 actually strengthen aristocratic control?

Answer 13

More county power, the Chandos clause exacerbated this

Question 14

How does 1832 actually strengthen aristocratic control?

Answer 14

More county power, the Chandos clause exacerbated this.

Question 15

1858 Abolition of Property Qualification ultimate impact on social composition

Answer 15

Ultimately, the immediate impact is questionable, 1858 facilitates change but does not cause it.

Question 16

Evidence that 1858 is significant in changing social composition

Answer 16

• The terms enabled men of any social class to stand for an election to the Commons (although unless you can afford thousands to bribe). Allows for a wider pool of candidates.
• Moves away from the idea that participation should depend upon property ownership.
• Significant as stepping stone to further reform. Established the key principle that allowed and encouraged social composition of Commons to change over time.
• Allowed growth of Labour Party, first candidates stand in the 1870s and Trade Union sponsorship starts in the 1880s.

Question 17

Context of Edward Glover for 1858 Act

Answer 17

The Beverley MP was challenged by opponents after 1857 election after hiding his mortgage to meet the property qualification and ended up in Newgate Prison. Much sympathy was voiced including from the judge and jury, which brought attention to the issue.

Question 18

What was the key principle that 1858 established, suggesting it paved the way to changing social composition?

Answer 18

That politics is not merely the preserve of those with inherited wealth. It weakens the relationship between land and political power; starting to loosen that connection.

Growth in the concept that the ownership of property was not an important criterion in an increasingly democratic society.

Question 19

How does 1858 contribute to the climate of expectation that benefits social composition?

Answer 19

There hasn’t been a reform since 1832 - ends a long hiatus since 1832 which will benefit reform.

Question 20

How does 1858 contribute to the growth of Labour?

Answer 20

Facilitates the early emergence of Labour/socialist turning MPs. Although Labour formed in 1900, had 1858 not happened, wouldn’t of had Labour MPs before that.

Question 21

1867 impact on social composition

Answer 21

Despite redistribution to the towns and big increases in the franchise meaning there was some social composition expanding in the electorate, there is very limited change to social composition in H of C.

Although it will lead to more middle class voters over time as parties realised that candidate elections were vital for success. Slow start to change in social composition - more middle class especially lawyers, but slow.

Question 22

Why is 1858 not significant in changing social composition

Answer 22

• Increasingly needless - often overlooked and MPs met it on fraudulent grounds.
• Impact can be exaggerated as evidence shows that property qualification had increasingly limited impact. Edward Glover could be seen as a scapegoat, as half of MPs had made inaccurate property declarations (typically those with patrons claiming ownership of property was not theirs).