The unreformed Parliament and its critics Flashcards
What did Britains political system consist of?
House of Lords (nobility), House of Commons (the people)
What were the qualifications to be in the House of Commons?
Own property worth £300 a year (if selected no pay)
Why was this system corrupt?
The House of Lords had influence over Commons —> impossible for majority to stand for election
What was the issue with this system?
No representation of majority of Britain
What was the pre-reform electorate like?
Only men could vote, qualifications differed depending on what type of constituency you lived in
What were the two types of constituencies?
The counties, The boroughs
What’s we’re the qualifications for the pre-reform electorate if you were from a county?
- rural shores that selected 2 MPs each
- Own peppery worth over 40 shillings a year (£2)
What was the problem of representation in counties + example?
Each county had 2 MPs regardless of size - eg Bedfordshire population of 2,000 whole Yorkshire 20,000 but both only 2 MPs
What were the qualifications if you lived in a borough?
- elected 2 MPs but franchise qualifications broad corporation, freemen, scot and lot, burgage, potwolloper, freeholder
What was the rule for corporation (borough qualifications)?
Only members of town council could vote
What was the rule on voting if you were a freeman (borough)?
Anyone w status of freeman could vote
What was the rule on voting with Scot & Lot (borough)?
Anyone who paid poor rates could vote
What was the rule on voting with burgage (borough)?
Burgage - ancient form of rent on property in a borough. Owners of this property could vote
What was the rule of potwolloper voting from a borough?
Hearth big enough to boil a pot could vote
What’s a freeholder and could they vote in boroughs?
Similar franchise to the counties
PARLIAMENTARY SEATS
How many contested seats were there in 1780
only two
What was the issue with voting?
Lack of secret ballot (public viewing) meant bribery, intimidation and cooling could affect votes.
What’s a pocket borough?
Small borough which could easily be manipulated/ controlled by prominent family/landowner in area (bribery)
What’s an example of a pocket borough?
Gatton in Surrey ‘bought’ at auction for £90,000 in 1801
What was the issue in commons?
Wealthy property owners controlled representation so vote didn’t reflect different interests in Britain
What % of the population could take part in election?
Only 11%
What was the issue with the upper class in election?
Corruption and political dominance which raised the need for reform
What’s a rotten borough?
Small town that used to be prominent in Middle Ages but over time declined in stature. Still remained their 2 MPs despite this bc of last importance.
Why was the system out of date?
Distribution of seats based upon importance of constituency at time of creation
DEMANDS FOR REFORM
What’s an example of a group dedicated to reform pre 1785?
Society for Constitutional Information
What did the Society for Constitutional Information do?
Promoted public awareness through pamphleteering
Why was the Society for Constitutional Information unsuccessful?
Undermined by Gordon Riots 1780
What did Pitt (PM) propose in 1785?
Disenfranchising 36 of worst boroughs and redistributing seats - defeated by 74 votes in commons
Why Pitt’s proposal in 1785 defeated?
Reform not a popular issue bc MPs didn’t want to change system they benefited from
When was the French Revolution?
1789
What impact did the French revolution have on demands for reform?
Criticism of British model + question legitimacy
What was the reaction from conservative politicians to demands as a result of French Rev?
Strong defensive reaction —> they benefited from the system
Who wrote Reflections on the Revolution in France?
Burke —> virtue of British system was its slow and adaptive nature + those MPs were best in society and knew best how to govern
Who wrote The Rights of Man and what was its significance?
Thomas Paine (in response to Burke) —> 1793 more than 200,000 copies sold - condemning inequalities of political system
What reform groups did Paine’s book inspire?
- Sheffield Society for Constitutional Information (1971, working class)
- London Corresponding Society —> raise public awareness through pamphleteering
What did The London and Sheffield Socitey do?
- Sheffield —> 10,000+ signatures on petition calling for manhood suffrage
- London —> demonstration with 100,000 people
What overshadowed the demand for reform?
Outbreak of war with France in 1793 —> unpatriotic
What was introduced to stop political meetings in 1795?
Treason Act of 1795 —> death penalty for any treasonable activity like political meetings
What happened as a result of the end of the Napoleonic War in 1815?
Soldiers returned home looking for work in a depressed economic climate
Why did food prices rise in 1816?
Harvests failed
What impact did the failed harvests have?
Higher food prices at a time of economic struggle
Why did wages decline?
Ready supply of workers (soldiers)
What was the result of failed harvests and declining wages?
Closer look at gov who seemed not to be supporting those in need
What was there a growth of as a result of these issues?
Active reform press (reformist activity)
What did Cobbett write and why did it become popular?
Covbett’s political register - reduced price to 1s 1/2 to 2d.
How many copies were sold of Cobbetts Political Register in 1816 and in what time?
Sold 200,000 copies in 2 months
What book did Wooler write?
The Black Dwarf —> satirical journal supporting working class interests
How many of Woolers journals circulated in 1819?
12,000
What did Henry Hunt do in the growth of reformist activity?
Speeches to crowds ab reform
What influence did these reformist activities have?
Allowed political awareness to spread at a time where people were interested + listening
What Riot occurred in Nov-Dec 1816?
Spa Field Riots in Islington —> speaker like Hunt + attracted crowds of 10-20,000
What and when was the March of the Blanketeers?
Lancashire weavers planned an armed march to London in March 1817 —> broken up by local yeomanry
What was the name of the riot in St Peter’s Field in Manchester?
Peter loo Massacre
When was Peterloo Massacre?
16th August 1819
What happened at the Peterloo Massacre?
Political rally.
Henry Hunt speaking.
Crowds of 60,000.
Forcibly dispersed by yeomanry.
18 killed, 400 injured.
What happened in Government as a result of the Peterloo Massacre
Agitation alarmed gov (control lost) —> Six Acts passed
What was the Six Acts?
Passed in December.
Banned public meeting of over 50 people + harsher punishments like death penalty
What was the reaction from the moderate middle class as a result of the Peterloo Massacre?
Dropped reform intentions —-> preserve positions and avoid reactionary policies
What was the Cato street Conspiracy?
As a result of stirred up determination bc of Six Acts - reformers plotted to assassinate cabinet (arrested)
THE POLITICAL DEMANDS OF THE MANUFACTURING INTEREST
What arose as a result of industrialisation?
Rise of manufacturing self made middle class
What ability did this new middle class have?
Potential to force political chnage —> educated + employers do thousands who relied on their goodwill
What did the new manufacturing middle favour?
Laissez-fair approach of gov (no control over economic matters)
What were the Corn Laws?
Law to protect farmers from foreign comp now war was over
Why did the Corn Law cause discontent?
Forced farmers to raise wages to ensure workforce fed + price of bread in cities rose (main source of food for poor)
What was the Corn Law an example if?
Gov looking after own + prioritising interests of landowners
How did the new middle class view the political system?
Inefficient- patronage
Why didn’t industrial manufacturing cities have enough power?
Seat distribution didn’t give them enough power
