Living in a Democracy

• Explain what you think is meant by living in a democracy?

Living in a Democracy

• The term ‘democracy’ has always been contestable and changeable

• Regarded in the Greek period as the ‘rule of the mob’ A. Arblaster

• Best known definition: ‘government of the people, by the people, and for the people’ Lincoln, 1863

                                                    

Living in a Democracy

• in Britain movement towards giving people power was protracted and uneven

• Between 1832 and 1928 Britain’s political identity was changed gradually An Election: The Polling (1754)

 

Pressure for Change in 19th century

Why

Industrial revolution

Revolutions

Middle class

Chartists

Demographic change

The 1832 Reform Act

• Why was it introduced?

• To give a greater political voice to the middle classes

The 1832 Reform Act

• Granted the vote to merchants and manufacturers

• political recognition for professional and trades people

• Voters: marginally increased to 652,000 voters from 435,000

• Every man owning or renting property worth more than £10 per year got the vote in the boroughs and £2 or more in the counties

The 1832 Reform Act

• Vote was given to tenants who either rented land paying more than £50 per year or held land lease of more than £10

• However 5 out of 6 males still had no vote

• Only 18% of males

The Knight Errant in Quest of Votes, 1832

The 1832 Reform Act• Constituencies:

before act 658 MPs, counties and boroughs

• Boroughs and English counties sent 2 MP’s back but Scotland counties had only one

• After Act, Scotland returned 53 and populations with less than 2,000 lost their MP

Effects of Reform Act

• Some anomalies corrected• Size of electorate increased to 1 in 7 males• Trend of urbanisation recognised• However MPs still mainly came from South

and continued to be dominated by landed classes

• Still no secret ballot• Power of wealth had been safeguarded as

linked with property values• Led to further agitation and reform

Activity

• Explain why industrialisation and the ideas surrounding the French Revolution increased demands for political reform in Britain?

• Describe the difficulties involved in the passing of the 1832 Reform Act

• In what ways did the 1982 Reform Act affect• The voters• The constituencies

This 1832 cartoon by John Doyle shows the British public helping Earl Grey against William IV and the Duke of Wellington

Change in Parties

• Tories split over repeal of anti-corn laws, moved towards ideology of conservatism

• Whigs moved towards liberalism and further reform

                     

    

Change in Parties

• Between 1852 and 1860 four reform bills were presented 3 from Lord John Russell ‘Finality Jack’

• Wanted vote to be given to working people who were educated and owned property all acts failed

The 1866 Reform Bill• Aimed to increase the

electorate by lowering property values and including people with £50 savings

• Led to split in liberal party and resignation of Russell

• Tories invited to form minority government, against reform but due to demand had to propose further reform

                   

     

The second Reform Act, 1867

• Why was it introduced?• Growth and expression of the working

class voice in 1850s onwards• Declining power of the old land-owning

aristocracy• Spread of new ideas/ideology• Liberalism popular• Respectability of urban artisans• National protests e.g. TUs• Revolution? Hyde Park 1866• ‘dish the whigs’ by ‘stealing the

liberal’s clothes’

The second Reform Act, 1867

• This act increased the electorate by 1,120,000 voters to 2.5 million

• All householders with one years residence paying rates got the vote

• Lodgers in accommodation valued at £10 and Occupiers of premises worth £12 got the vote

• One male in three now had the vote

The second Reform Act, 1867

• Constituencies: many disenfranchised

• 52 seats redistributed, 25 went to counties, 19 to the boroughs, one to London university and 2 to Scottish universities, 5 to Scotland

The second Reform Act, 1867

• Did not alter the balance of political power

• Electorate still largely remained the same

• Parties had to develop national organisations as boroughs increased voters therefore less independent MPs

Historical debate: why was it introduced

• Whigs: due to economic and social change and popular pressure

• Socialist: popular agitation e.g. campaign in 1866 and Hyde Park riot

• Tories: Party competition, neither Disraeli or Gladstone were interested in creating a democratic system rather they were outplaying each other

Activity • Why was Lord John Russell known as

‘Finality Jack’ and in what ways did he change his position after 1852?

• In what ways was there pressure outside Parliament for reform in the early 1860s?

• Describe the main events surrounding the passing of the 1867 Reform Act

• What impact did the Reform Act of 1867 have on:

• The voters• The constituencies• The Parties?

The Ballot Act, 1872• System still had to

free itself from bribery, corruption and intimidation

• In 1865, £14,000 was spent on bribing the 1408 voters in Lancaster

• Parties argued voting was a privilege which should be carried out in public

                      

   

The Ballot Act, 1872

• Enquiry in 1865 election revealed scale of malpractice

• Gladstone brought in a bill, rejected by the lords in 1871 became law in 1872

• Voting to be carried out in secret, intimidation declined

The Ballot Act, 1872:

• Corruption not completely wiped out. Between 1867/ 1885 4 towns were disenfranchised due to corrupt practices.

• This was dealt with in 1883

Corrupt and Illegal Practices Act 1883

• Plugged the gaps in the Ballot Act,1872

• Candidates election expenses were determined by size of constituency

• Election agents had to account for their spending

Corrupt and Illegal Practices Act 1883

• Detailed definition of illegal and corrupt practices

• Breach of the law disqualified a candidate for 7 years

• Active involvement in corruption was punishable by fine or imprisonment

• How effectively did the Ballot Act of 1872 and the 1883 Act deal with the problems of bribery?