The final phase - development after 1885 Flashcards
Explain the democratic deficiencies in the electoral system after the 3rd reform act
-The Franchise
- all women and a subtantial minority of men not eligible to vote
- residency requirements also limited the electorate
Explain the democratic deficiencies in the electoral system after the 3rd reform act
- Registration
- extremely complicated & lengthy business
- each new reform act added new franchises to existing ones causing uncertainty is people were eligible to vote or not
- several millions were eligible to vote but not registered
Explain the democratic deficiencies in the electoral system after the 3rd reform act
-Plural Voting
- No legal limit to the number of votes for which a man might qualify in different constituencies
- By 1910, estimatedly 500,000 plural voters, many of which were middle-class men
Explain the democratic deficiencies in the electoral system after the 3rd reform act
-Distribution of seats
- underrepresentation: Sotland & the North
- overrepresentation: South & rural areas
Explain the democratic deficiencies in the electoral system after the 3rd reform act
-Cost of elections
- electoral expenses remained extremely high
- Aswell as working without a salary, MPs would also have to pay the expense of the electoral returning officer
- Consequently, 20% of the total seats were uncontested
What were the implications of the democratic deficiencies of the electoral system following the 3rd reform act
-the working class
- The working class formed a majority of the population, but a much smaller majority of the electorate
- the distribution of seats was also weighted against them
What were the implications of the democratic deficiencies of the electoral system following the 3rd reform act
-the middle class
- middle class massively over represented:
- the m/c who comprised about 20% of the adult male population formed 40% of the electorate
What were the implications of the democratic deficiencies of the electoral system following the 3rd reform act
-the middle class
- the cost of elections also favoured dominance by the rich & limited voter choice
How many adult males could vote in 1885
- 60% of adult males can vote
What would be obstacles to further reform in 1885
- too bigger change neccessary to be passed in the future
- HofL likley to interfere, as Tories held majorities even when they weren’t in office
- Aristocrats
- Middle classes - who benefit from current system
Who wished to further reform in 1885
- The system was criticised by radicals, socialists and trade unionists.
- The Liberal Party also called for reform, demanding manhood suffrage in the 1890s
- & after 1905 introducing a series of bills against plural voting.
Why was the Liberal Party always likely to be susceptible to disunity
- it was a coalition of expedience (most convenient thing to do, not for passion or belief)
Critical, the Liberal divide was not over…
political reform
Summarise the reasons for growing tension in Ireland after 1867
Unrest
- nationalists & republicans ‘FENIANS’ pose a seriously violent, what independence for Ireland, assassinations
Summarise the reasons for growing tension in Ireland after 1867
Religion
- protestsant vs catholic division
Summarise the reasons for growing tension in Ireland after 1867
Land
- fixed tenure, fair rent, free sale were incredibly controversial topics
Summarise the reasons for growing tension in Ireland after 1867
Relation with Great Britain
- Increasingly tense, violent & problematic
- British government policy getting more & more coercive
Explain why Irish Home Rule was so controversial
Opposition from Unionists: Moral/Principle
- For the Protestants in North/East, home rule = ‘Rome rule’
- An Irish government would threaten the rights of landowners, protestants and British subjects in Ulster.
Explain why Irish Home Rule was so controversial
Opposition from Unionists: Empire
- Fear that this would be the first step in the loss of empire
Explain why Irish Home Rule was so controversial
Opposition from Unionists: Political Expedience
- It wasn’t the answer - fears that the Irish would object to remaining aspects of British rule and their lack of representation, and will want independence.
- Home Rule would reduce Britain’s capacity to deal with problems in Ireland
Explain why Irish Home Rule was so controversial
Supporters of Home Rule: Moral/Principle
- Nationalism is the deeply held view of the Irish people.
Explain why Irish Home Rule was so controversial
Supporters of Home Rule: Empire
- This would enhance rather than weaken the empire (and prestige too).
Explain why Irish Home Rule was so controversial
Supporters of Home Rule: Political Expedience
- The only solution to end the cycle of violence and economic misery in Ireland.
- A new constitutional settlement could allow men of property to dominate instead of hot-headed troublemakers like Parnell.
Explain why Irish Home Rule was so controversial
Supporters of Home Rule: Practical
- A peaceful solution which would restore law and order and save parliamentary time + continued expense on coercion (taxes).
Who do the liberals divide
Gladstone
- Agrees to Home Rule
- He poorly manages the liberals calling for a national measure, which destroys his party, while trying to destroy the conservatives
Who do the liberals divide
Hartington
- leader of the Whig faction refuses to join the cabinet in the liberal coalition
- he wants Whig coercion
Who do the liberals divide
Chamberlain
- ls against home rule
- Cares about the empire, against coercion
Who do the liberals divide
Salisbury
- once Gladstone’s ministry falls, he decides the Tories aren’t going to interfere or get involved
What do the election results from 1880-1905 reveal about the changing state of parties
- The unionists join with the Conservatives
- Liberal seats decline, Conservatiev seats rise
- 1887, Liberals separate out
- 1892, Labour gets first seats in HofC
How did the labour party grow
Trade Unions
- The labour party grew out of the Trade Unions influence, as only sponsorship by a T.U could provide necessary funding to enable w/c men to be MPs without a paid salary
- Clear movement/ Political organisation
- Set up the parliamentary committee –> review legislative proposals influencing politicians of existing parties
How did the labour party grow
Limits & Restrictions to Trade Unions
- Trade Unions don’t prioritise politics
- the w/c’s members showed little inclination to seek out & embrace a new polictical alleigance
How did the labour party grow
Liberal Party Decline
- After 1895, the liberal party was an ineffective oppositition so they became more in favour of separate representation for the working class in parliament
How did the labour party grow
Limits & Restrictions to Liberal Party decline
- the experience is with the liberal party, not evolving, no continuity
- even in decline lliberals dominated opposition, in the pre-war period, slow decline
- Lib-Lab pact reinforced this
- hence, the liberals restricted the independence of the labour party
How did the labour party grow
New Ideological Groups
- Karl Marx –> various groups were influenced by his ideas
- 1884 - The Social Democratic Federation, The FABIAN society, The Independent Labour Party & the Labour Revolutionary Committee
How did the labour party grow
Limits & Restrictions to New Ideological Groups
- neither developed any priorities or tactics all were affliliated members, but consensus was hard to achieve
How did the labour party grow
Improved Education
- Since the Forster’s education act 1870, there was increased accessibility of new writing on landowners & wealth inequality & newspapers
- increased aspiration & ability to campaign with people expectant of representation, engaging in their own interests
How did the labour party grow
Continued Poverty & Social Inequality
- worsened by agricultural & industrial depressions & resultant unemployment & failing wages:
- meant there was dissatisfaction with existing politcal parties, with the govt not offering solutions to the working classes
How did the labour party grow
WW1
- accellerated changes in political behaviour
- provded labour MPs with the opportunity to serve in the coalition cabinet, which enhanced their profile & gave them vital experience
- it also increased public concerns baout how the govt was run, which they could capitalise on
How did the labour party grow
The 1918 Reform Act
- had a momentous influence on the future direction of democracy
- by the end of 1918, labour had servered its liberal ties & had a distinct set of priorities, liberals not needed
What was featured in the 1918 Reform Act
- vote to all men over 21 & women over 30
Explain the Trade Unions Committee - TUC
- an umbrella organisation which held a parliament which every union sneds represntative to
- they influenced politicians of existing parties & campaigned in the workers interests
Who were the Fabians
- an idealogical group of intellectuals
- don’t try to win votes, but were involved in activism
What were Lib-lab MPs
- Liberal MPs in the Labour Party
What was the ILP
- Independent labour Party
- Established in 1893
- The first labour party
Who was James Keir Hardie
- the leader of ILP
What was the LRC
- The Labour Representation Committee
- Formed in 1900
When was the Taff Vale
- 1901
- The Taff Vale Case - increasing support for working people’s party in light of Liberal/ conservative failure to support union rights
When was the Lib-Lab Pact
- 1903
- Liberals would not contest agreed seats in return for support of LRC MPs in parliament
Who was Arthur Henderson
- First Labour cabinet minister
- plays a key role in developing Labour party organisation
Who was James Ramsay MacDonald
- 3rd principle founder of the labour party
- Responsible for negotiating the 1903 pact with the Liberals
How was the 1906 election a turning point
Parties
- not just the Conservatives & Liberals, butalso the LRC who were resuced by the 1903 pact
- first instance of parties trying to tactically win seats
How was the 1906 election a turning point
Aristocratic Power
- Liberal govt that comes to power goes into a battle with the HofL, which is never the same again
- Peers vs People
How was the 1906 election a turning point
Election Campaigns
- Liberals win by saying how bad Tories are, demonstrating a change in politics,
- as they don’t necessarily have to come up with policies to win
- Theyre against - tarriff reform, military expenditure, education reform etc
Who were the New Liberals
- take on w/c ideals & policies, favouring social reform funded by progressive taxation
- harness a lot of the electorate
- make Labour able to win elections
Summarise the Key liberal reforms following their election in 1906
Workers’ Rights
- employers required to pay compensation to workers injured at work through accidents
- sick pay introduced
- fundamental union rights established
- Taff Vale reversed
Summarise the Key liberal reforms following their election in 1906
Welfare: Unwell
- sickness benefits
Summarise the Key liberal reforms following their election in 1906
Welfare: Elderly
- state pension introduced
Summarise the Key liberal reforms following their election in 1906
Welfare: Unemployment
- Distress committees could be set up with grants to help provide work for the unemployed - unemployment benefits
What were the 2 key powers of the House of Lords
- ‘veto power’ - no measure can pass without the Lords’ consent
- Power to amend anything proposed for a measure or law
What were the limits (by convention) to the HofL power
- don’t block money bills & should never interfere with who is prime minister
Arguments against the Lords power before 1906
- aren’t elected or representative
- inherited power, why should they override elected viewpoints
Why did the 1906 election bring the issue of the Lord’s power to the fore
- Liberals have majority of 241 over the conservatives, dominating the HofC
- But the conservatives have the majority in the HofL, yet convention says HofL shouldn’t interfere
How did Balfour & the leading conservatives justify using the HofL to oppose liberal reforms
- Referendal theory - the Lords had a duty to veto any important measures which had not been properly put to the electorate, by a general election
- Safeguard against democracy
- HofL members aren’t affected by the outcome, they are part of a crucial baalnce in the constitution
Summarise the main areas of conflict between 1906-8
- The Lords vetoed or amended beyond recognition a number of key Liberal measures:
- several Education Acts, a bill to ban Plural voting, Licensing bills and several Land Bill
- The Lords avoided any interference with popular measures which might provoke a major popular backlash (e.g. old age pensions and the new trade union law).
- But they protect Anglican church & rights of Landowners
Summarise the content of Lloyd George’s 1909 budget
- £16 million in extra taxation
- Introduce necessary social policies
- Pass all the policies the Lords are blocking
Summarise the motives of Lloyd George’s 1909 budget
- fundraising motives
- wishing to implement social change
- provokative of Conservatives, overcoming HofL
Why were the conservatives so opposed to the 1909 budget
- Indirectly targeted against them - wealthy landowners, liscensing laws, high earners & Anglicans
- Disagree, as they don’t this a progressive (income) tax on the wealthy is the way to raise money
- they prefer regressive tax like tarriffs
Summarise the trajectory of Lloyd George’s 1909 budget
- don’t think HofL will block it, because it is a money bill
- battle in the HofC
- gets through
- then HofL block it
Explain Llyod George’s criticisms of the Lords in his Newcastle speech, before the LordS verto his 1909 budget
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- HofL are unemployed, taking the decision away from those who do work
- there would be threat of a ‘revolution’ of the public against the HofL who could lose their power
Summarise the reasons for the Conservative’s decision to block the 1909 budegt in the HofL
-Official Reasons
- argued it was not a normal finance bill, as itthreatned the rights of landowners, so was unconstitutional
- Liberals didn’t saythey would do this in the elections
Summarise the reasons for the Conservative’s decision to block the 1909 budegt in the HofL
-Other Reasons
- Liberals should hold a referendum, so maybe the Tories can win & return to power
Summarise the impact of the election of January 1910
- Liberals win again with their Peers vs People campaign, get the budget through, have majority in HofC with the support of Irish MPs, yet worried HofL will block their proposals
When was the Parliament Act
1911
What are the terms of the Parliament Act 1911
- HofL prevented from rejecting or amending a money bill
- HofL could only delay legislation for up to 2 years
- Introduction of salaries for MPSs
- Max term of a parliament reduced from 7 years to 5
What were the terms of the Parliament Act 1911
- prevents the HofL rejecting a money bill
- allow the upper house to delay legislation for up to 2 years, after which time, it could be passed through by the HofC
What (above) pressure from the liberals ensured the HofL agreed to the Parliament Act
-Lloyd George
- Lloyd George used the 1909 Budget to push through a series of reforms which the Lords had previously blocked
- the budget also included a supertax on incomes over £5000 and an increase in death duties (convention was that Lords did not block finance bills)
What (above) pressure from the liberals ensured the HofL agreed to the Parliament Act
-1909 Election
1909 Election: once the HofL refused to pass the Budget, an election was held which the govt presented as Peers v People. Once they had won another victory, the Liberals introduced a bill to limit the power of the Hofl
What (above) pressure from the liberals ensured the HofL agreed to the Parliament Act
-Asquith
- Asquith used warnings of impending serious popular unrest to force the King to agree to appoint 500 new peers should HofL continue blocking the Parliament Bill
What evidence is there of pressure from below concerning the passing of the 1911 Parliament Act
- Background: Given the Lords’ vetoing powers, after 1884 they could well be overturning measures that had the support of the majority of the population
- As the HofC became more democratic and representative, the HofL became an anachronism
- Their vetoing of Liberal measures on education and plural voting brought matters to a head
- (note that the Lords were careful not to block any measure which had popular support, e.g. pensions and trade union law)
What evidence is there of popular pressure concerning the passing of the 1911 Parliament Act
- Even in the midst of the crisis,
- there is little evidence of popular unrest
- e.g the election held in December 1910
Parliament Act 1911
When were the following significant in influecning previous reforms:
The Death of a King
- 1830 - George IV, not that interested in politics but seriously against reform
- his death removed ostacle
Parliament Act 1911
When were the following significant in influecning previous reforms:
Proposals to create new peers
1832 Reform Act
What are the 5 key reasons the Parliament Act 1991 passed
- Modernity
- Class politics
- Party politics
- Individuals: Lloyd George, Asquith, Geore V
- Culmination of peers vs people
Short term consequences of the Parliament Act
-Liberal power
- liberals could now introduce legislation without fear of it being blocked in the HofL
Short term consequences of the Parliament Act
-tory leader
- Balfour was replaced by Bonar-Law as leader of the Conservatives, notable for his midle class background
Short term consequences of the Parliament Act
-distractions
- This crisis took up so much time between 1909-11
- that other liberal priorities, such as Home Rule & the Welsh Church Act were not started until 1912
- This meant that the Lord’s ability to delay for 2 years ensured both were unable to be implemented before the outbreak of WW1
Long term consequences of the Parliament Act
-HofL power
- Lords power was substantially reduced - only delay bills for 2 years;
- never again would a PM govern from the HofL
- Allows Commons to overrule the Lords in some situations
Long term consequences of the Parliament Act
-usage of the act
- The Act was seldom used:
- only seven times ever, the third of which was an update to the Parliament Act in 1949 which reduced the delaying time to 1 year
- This suggests it worked, as the two chambers found ways to ensure legislation worked
Long term consequences of the Parliament Act
-MPs
Working men could enter Parliament as MPs
Salaries for MPs attract poorer men candidates to Parliament
The camapaign for women’s suffrage - impact on further reform
Help
- brutal treatment given in prison won support from the public
- violence kept the suffrage issue at the forefront of attention
- Cat & Mouse Act
- Munitions workers (female) won a huge amount of public sympathy because of their dangerous working conditions
- Women who took on mens jobs were highly praised by the govt & the press
The camapaign for women’s suffrage - impact on further reform
Hindrance
- violence provided the govt with an excuse not to give women the vote,
- as they cannot be seen to give in to violence
- a lot of people were convinced the suffrageetes were hysterical & mentally unstable
