Theme 1 Flashcards
short term effects of 1832
- middle class can vote
- 1/5 adult men can vote
- 56 rotten/ pocket boroughs disenfranchised
- 22 new two member boroughs created
- london and north still under represented
Long term effects of 1832
- fewer pocket boroughs reduces influence of lords
- increase in contested elections
- reduces influence of crown
- corruption and bribery continue
- landed interests still dominate parliament ( increase in county seats)
short term effects of 1858
- Edward Glover as scapegoat
- Liberals abolish property qualification
long term effects of 1858
largely irrelevant
Half of MPs had claimed property that was not theirs anyway
short term effects of 1867
- household franchise (1/3 of adult males)
- w/c dominate borough electorate, which had grown 134%
- electorate remained solidly m/c in counties
- consider those who could not vote
- 45 seats taken from boroughs. 25 seats given to counties.
- over representation continued in south east
long term effects of 1867
- more contested seats
- party organisation develops (paid local agents)
- social composition of MPs changed little. Landed interests still dominate in counties.
long term effects of 1872
system more representative and democratic
short term effects of 1872
treating and buying votes continued
employers in urban areas continue to influence workers
short term effects of 1883
limits expenditure and prohibited bribery
long term effects of 1883
worked: 18s8d in 1880 to 3s4d in 1910
but MPs still not paid, so 20% of elections still uncontested
Short term effects of 1884
- household suffrage and lodger franchise extended to counties
- agricultural labourers and miners in counties can now vote
- 2.5m new voters
- 2/3 adult males can now vote
- those with less than a year residency or living with parents still can’t vote
- redistribution of rural seats
long term effects of 1884
- decline of aristocratic influence sped up
- 1885: manufacturers dominate HoC for first time
- complexities of registration disenfranchised many
- plural voting - 500,000 in 1911
short term effects of 1885
- 150 seats redistributed to more densely populated counties e.g. Yorkshire
- nearly all constituencies single member with similar populations
- London MPs increase 22 to 59
- London still under represented and Ireland over represented
short term effects of 1911
- salaries for MPs introduced
- max term for parliament from 7 down to 5 years
- HoL can not reject or amend money bills
- HoL can only delay legislation for up to 2 years
long term effects of 1911
- commons can over rule lords in some instances
- Lords powers significantly reduced
- Bonar - Law was m/c
- w/c men could become MPs ( growth of labour )
short term effects of 1918
- men over 21 can vote
- women over 30 can vote (and become MPs)
- 7.7m voters in 1910 –> 21.4m in 1918
- 70,000 population established as key unit for 1 member constituencies
- m/c seats rose from 48 to 200
long term effects of 1918
- returning officers paid from public funds (elections less expensive)
- boost for labour (1924 = first gov)
- concession to conservatives, 30,000 plural voters
- complexities of registration disenfranchised c.7% men
short term effects of 1928
- women over 21 can vote in general elections
- 5m new voters
political expediency in 1832
- Whig Grey forms new ministry after collapse of Tories
- had been in opposition since 1807, so wanted to create m/c voters
- Removed rotten and pocket boroughs that had benefited Tories
- reforming to preserve aristocratic gov
political expediency in 1867
- shift in conservative attitude ( might as well take credit for reform if it is inevitable)
- Conservatives felt 1832 had favored boroughs, where their appeal was weakest
- personal hatred of Gladstone
- accepts Hodgkinson’s amendment without consulting party (500,000 voters)
- Redistribution bill to keep counties as rural and conservative as possible
political expediency in 1872
- Radicals felt it would get them more of the vote
- -> Bright’s price for staying in Gladstone’s cabinet
- Liberals’ committment to reform
political expediency in 1884
- Gladstone wanted to restore his popularity
- Salisbury wanted redistribution bill to counter franchise extension
political expediency in 1885
- Salisbury and Villa Toryism
- -> Price for conservatices supporting the liberals
political expediency in 1911
- 1909 election : peers vs people
- -> liberal victory
political expediency in 1918
Lloyd George and Asquith support votes for women
pressure from below in 1832
- radicalism
- 1831 widespread riots (Nottingham and Derby)
- Atwood’s BPU
- Days of may 1932
pressure from below in 1867
- population growth
- growing urban areas
- Hyde Park 1866 violence
- Economy declined dramatically in 1866
pressure from below in 1872
- misconduct of 1868 election widely reported in press
pressure from below in 1911
- Lords careful not to block any measures that have popular support e.g. pensions
pressure from below in 1918
women in ww1
workers militancy
suffrage activity
