The Great Reform Act - 1832

Question 1

How did 1832 extend the franchise?

Answer 1

Boroughs - Men owning property rated at £10 or more could vote
Counties - Men owning property worth £2 per acre, or men renting land worth £50 per acre, could now vote

Question 2

How did 1832 change the representation of voters?

Answer 2

56 Rotten/Pocket Boroughs disenfranchised, in total 145 borough seats abolished
22 New two-member boroughs created (14 - London, 8 - New industrial cities
64 New country seats created so more populous counties gained more seats

Question 3

What evidence is there of change following 1832?

Answer 3

1 in 5 men could now vote (800,000)
M/C gained the vote, did not see need for further reform, govt. had succeeded in detaching them from the W/C
Increasing identification with political parties (Tory/Whig)
Turning point in power of monarchy - William IV agrees to Grey’s demands

Question 4

What evidence is there of continuity following 1832?

Answer 4

Equal electoral districts still did not exist - Industrial cities returned same number of MPs as small rural towns - London and northern cities still under-represented
Property qualification for MPs remained, landed interests still dominate parliament
Corruption and bribery continue during elections

Question 5

What evidence is there for, and against, the notion that 1832 happened due to popular pressure?

Answer 5

Long term radicalism, dating back to ideas of Cobbett
Riots following Lords’ rejection of reform bill in 1831
Days of May - Political Union’s following Grey’s resignation, famous slogan ‘To stop the Duke go for gold’ (protesting Wellington forming a government)
However - Protest after 1831 was in support of govt., details of the reform act had been decided before pressure reached its height

Question 6

What evidence is there that 1832 was caused by pressures within Government?

Answer 6

Collapse of Tories over Catholic Emancipation led to King William IV inviting Grey (Whig) to form a govt.
Grey - Persuades king to call an election (will ensure him a greater majority), following opposition to the first bill. Resigns in 1832 after king refuses to crete new peers (puts more pressure on govt.)
Whigs (especially Grey) seized on opportunity to remove boroughs that benefitted Tories (rotten/pocket), and to preserve aristocratic government.