The Growth of Democracy 1867 - 1928
THE GROWTH OF DEMOCRACY 1832 – 1928
COMMON QUESTIONS
To what extent could Britain be described as a true parliamentary democracy by (1914)?
For what reasons did Britain become a more democratic country between 1867 – 1928?
KEY FIGURES
- Lord John Russell (Whig Prime Minister)
- William Gladstone (Whig Chancellor & Liberal Prime Minister)
- Lord Derby (Conservative Prime Minister)
- Benjamin Disraeli (Conservative Chancellor & Prime Minister)
- Joseph Chamberlain (Liberal reformer)
KEY EVENTS
- Hyde Park Riots (1866)
- Resignation of Russell’s Whig Government (1866)
- Reform Act (1867)
- Ballot Act (1872)
- Corrupt & Illegal Practices Act (1883)
- Representation of People Act (1884)
- Redistribution of Seats Act (1885)
- Parliament Act (1911)
- Representation of People Act (1918)
- Equal Franchise Act (1928)
BACKGROUND
Voting was seen as a privilege not a right
Parliament was dominated by rich landowners who looked out for their own interests
Voting was still based on property qualification. The majority of men still could not vote and women were excluded altogether
There was an uneven distribution of seats and a lack of representation for industrial cities
Bribery and corruption were commonplace
The Reform Act (1832) increased the electorate to 1 / 7 adult males but still left many people dissatisfied with the Parliamentary system
WHAT WERE THE MAIN BARRIERS TO REFORM?
Parliament was dominated by rich landowners who looked out for their own interests and enjoyed their status as the ‘ruling class’
The House of Lords held too much power
Prime Ministers like the Duke of Wellington & Lord Palmerston were strongly opposed to changing the system
There were deep-rooted prejudices against the lower classes who were considered to be unworthy of the vote
It was considered that women were unable to understand the political issues of the day and would ‘waste’ their vote
WHAT WERE THE MAIN FORCES FOR CHANGE?
The American & French Revolutions spread ideas of Liberalism across Europe
There was a growing movement of population from the countryside to the cities; the power and influence of the landowning class declined
Industrialisation created a new middle class of businessmen & industrialists and a skilled working class (artisans) who demanded the right to vote
The growth of trade unions and better education after 1870 meant that people became more politically aware
A new generation of politicians such as Gladstone & Disraeli were more open to change than their predecessors had been
There was a growing number of pressure groups who campaigned for change; the Chartists and later the Suffragists
Civil unrest such as the Hyde Park Riot 1866 made MP’s aware that some measure of reform was needed
Political parties began to see the extension of the franchise as a means of gaining electoral support
HOW WAS THE FRANCHISE EXENDED?
In 1865, the Liberals under Lord John Russell came to power following the death of Lord Palmerston, a strong opponent of parliamentary reform.
William Gladstone became Chancellor; his Reform Bill (1866) split the Liberals and led to the government’s resignation
the Conservatives formed a new government under Lord Derby (Prime Minister) and Benjamin Disraeli (Chancellor)
Disraeli argued that the Conservatives were in danger of becoming very unpopular and proposed a new Reform Bill which became the 1867 Reform Act. Disraeli seized the political advantage over the Liberals
‘Dished the Whigs’
The Act increased the electorate to about 1 / 3 adult males: property owners in the boroughs (towns) and lodgers who rented property at £10 per year could now vote
Despite this, many people were dissatisfied: the property qualification remained; women were still excluded
The 1884 Representation of the People Act gave men living in the counties the same voting rights as those living in the towns. The electorate increased to around 2 / 3 adult males
Women were once again ignored, leading to an upsurge in female suffrage but after 1884, little progress was made towards further reform
The Representation of the People Act (1918) gave most adult males and women over 30 who were property owners or married to property owners the vote; it was not until the Equal Franchise Act (1928) that men and women over 21 had equal voting rights – almost a century after the 1832 Act
HOW WAS BRIBERY & CORRUPTION REDUCED?
Bribery and corruption afflicted the system. In pocket boroughs the voters were in the pay of the local landowner. Seats were bought for thousands of pounds
The open system of voting led to intimidation from employers and local landowners who could sack or evict anyone who voted against their wishes
The Ballot Act 1872 put tighter controls on the voting procedure, with a proper polling booth, ballot box and returning officer to oversee the election
Although intimidation declined, it needed the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Act 1883 to eliminate pocket boroughs. Candidates were now forbidden from bribing voters
Together, these Acts (both initiatives of Gladstone) were very successful in making the system more democratic and making MP’s more accountable to their constituents
HOW ELSE WAS THE SYSTEM MADE FAIRER?
The unfair distribution of seats was a major issue. The problem of rotten boroughs had been reduced by the 1832 and 1867 Acts but the cities still lacked representation
The 1885 Redistribution of Seats Act saw an increased representation for growing industrial towns such as Glasgow and Manchester.
There were more Scottish and Welsh MP’s. Boundaries were redrawn so that constituencies were roughly equal in population (50,000). Most constituencies now only had one MP.
The House of Lords remained a barrier to reform. In 1909 it rejected Lloyd-George’s People’s Budget, leading to a constitutional crisis and the Parliament Act 1911
This limited the power of the Lords; they could no longer veto Bills but could only amend or delay for two Parliamentary terms
Elections were to be held every 5 years. Salaries of £400 per year were introduced for MP’s allowing those from working-class backgrounds to stand. The House of Commons became the dominant chamber
CONCLUSION
Between 1832 and 1928, Britain gradually moved towards a more democratic system of government
The 1867 Act was a major step forward but progress thereafter was slow
Not until corruption and bribery were reduced and seats re-distributed did MPs and their parties become truly accountable to the people
The reduction in power of the House of Lords was significant in modernizing the political system
It was not until after WW1 that Britain became a true parliamentary democracy with equal voting rights for men and women
HISTORIOGRAPHY & SOME USEFUL QUOTES
Some historians see Parliamentary reform as a slow, inevitable process; the impact of industrialisation – urbanisation, growth of trade unions, better education etc – led to greater political awareness
Other historians point to a new generation of politicians such as Gladstone and Disraeli as being the main driving force behind reform: political gain is often seen as an important motivation
World War 1 also played an important part; the war effort led to most men and some women over 30 being enfranchised in 1918
‘Every man who is not incapacitated is morally entitled to come within the pale of the constitution.’ Gladstone
‘I will back the masses against the classes.’ Gladstone
‘Change is inevitable; change is constant.’ Disraeli
‘A leap in the dark.’ Lord Derby on the 1867 Reform Act