1867 REFORM ACT

Question 1

CAUSES OF ACT

Answer 1

• disatisfaction with the 1832 act
• rise of working class movements
• economic and social conditions
• political shifts and leadership
  -fear of social unrest

Question 2

disatisfacition with the 1832 act

Answer 2

• the wc worked alongside the mc in the 1832 reform act yet it only enfranchised the mc
• leaving the wc out and with nothing, no vote
• so they wanted more

Question 3

rise of working class movements

Answer 3

• chartist movement and other reform organisations EG reform union and reform league played a role in raising awareness
• mobilised public opinion in favour of further reform

Question 4

what did working class movements result in

Answer 4

• organised large demonstrations by the reform leauge EG Hyde park riots 1866 folliwng failure of gladstones reform bill
• putting pressure on parliament to address the issue of suffrage

Question 5

economic and social conditions

Answer 5

• period leading up to 67 saw significant economic hardship due to poor harvests in 65 and economic crisis in 66

Question 6

political shifts and leadership

Answer 6

• death of lord Palmerston in 65, followed by a period of political instability
• allowed reform to gain momentum

Question 7

how did Disraeli help the pass of the act

Answer 7

leadership of Disraeli and his Govs commitment to addressing the issue of suffrage played a crucial role in the passage of the tact

Question 8

influence of key individuals

Answer 8

• John bright (bham mp) and others within the liberal party actively campaigned for further reform and influenced the political landscape

Question 9

fear of social unrest

Answer 9

• the gov facing mounting pressure and potential for unrest ultimately decide to address the issue of suffrage to prevent a more radical solution
  -hyde park riots prompted gov action

Question 10

provisions of the act

Answer 10

• granted the vote to more working class men by:
• granting the vote to all household owners in boroughs who paid £10 rent
• property qualifications in the countries were lowered, allowing more agricultural landowners to vote

Question 11

impact of the act

Answer 11

• electorate doubled in eng + Wales
  from 1mill to 2.5 mill
  -benefitted wc and mc in urban and rural areas

Question 12

critiscms of act

Answer 12

• women still can’t vote
  -still voting requirements = limiting the franchise

Question 13

1864 Reform Union

Answer 13

• sout to extend the franchise to incluse all male rate payers + secret ballot
• membership was mainly middle class
• mc thought improved political coperation between them and wc would promote stability

Question 14

why was reform leauge hard to ignore

Answer 14

• comrpised of upwardly mobile middle class whos position in society was crucial to the development of the ecenomy

Question 15

1865 Reform Leauge

Answer 15

-ambitions were more radical than the union campagining for universal manhood sufferage + secret ballot
-althought the union had much more financial backing the leauge had a widesprad support (ex chartist)

Question 16

gladstone reform bill 1866

Answer 16

• Reform experiecned a sudden burst of pace when anti reformist pm lord palmerstone died
• allowing progressive pm lord russel to come back into office with gladstone as chancellor of the exchequer
• was a very liberal bill that caused divisions as some claimed it enfranchised too many wc so was utliamtely unsuccesful faced too much oppostion

Question 17

role of disraeli

Answer 17

• disraeli was a modern politician who was fully aware of the benefits that could bring to the party that passed the legislation
• collapse of the liberal party gave way to disraelis conservatives
• made the reform bill more moderate and persuaded other mps to back it
  Eg argued that the new electorate would be grateful for enfranchisement and vote torys next ge