The Growth of Parliamentary Democracy Flashcards
What did radicals call the unreformed political system?
“Old Corruption”
What was the unreformed political system based on?
an archaic 17th century system when the gov was based on the relationship between the king and an aristocratic parliament
How much of the population could vote in the unreformed political system?
less than 5% - in 1831 only 400,000 men could vote
What were the constituencies like in the unreformed political system?
- all counties could send 2 MPs to Parliament
- Boroughs were important county towns that had been granted a Royal Charter, varying from large cities to small villages
- many new industrial towns had no MPs as they didn’t exist in the 17th Century e.g. Birmingham and Manchester
How many boroughs had fewer than 40 voters but were still represented by 2 MPs in the unreformed political system?
over 50
How many MPs did Lancashire have in 1831 compared to Cornwall in the unreformed political system?
Lancashire - 14 MPs with a population of 1.3 million
Cornwall - 42 MPs with a population of 300,000
How many elections were uncontested in the unreformed political system?
2/3
What were elections like in the unreformed political system?
- could be as long as two months
- no secret ballot
- carnival atmosphere
- corruption was common - voters were openly bribed
- “treating” when candidates would pay for supporters food, drink etc
- “lambing” when groups of armed thugs who intimidated voters
- “cooping” was kidnapping of rivals supporters until the end of the election
What were the different types of boroughs in the unreformed political system?
- rotten (ancient constituencies that were so depopulated that MPs were elected by a very small number)
- pocket (wealthy landowners provided occupiers with the right to vote, nominated candidates and bribed voters into voting for their desired candidate)
- scot and lot (taxpayers)
- potwalloper (those with a fireplace large enough to boil a pot could vote e.g. Taunton)
- corporation (members of the local town council - 90% of these had less than 50 voters)
- freeman (those who had the title of “freeman” through apprenticeship)
How much did Yorkshire’s 1807 election cost?
£250,000 - Yorkshire’s 1807 election
What were the main viewpoints in regards to reforming the political system? (Burke, Paine, Tories and Whigs - showing Parliament’s unwillingness to modernise)
- Burke’s “Reflections on the Revolutions in France” defended the status quo and argued that moderate reform would lead to violent revolution (view supported by Tory party who didn’t want to increase social tension and thought Britain was prosperous under current system)
- However Paine’s “The Rights of Man” in response to Burke promoted freedom and equality (everyone should have a right to vote) - argued each age had the right to establish a new political system, sold 200,000 copies
- Paine’s ideas never taken up by radical societies, people didnt agree with his stance on the church, charged with treason in 1792, fled to France
- British pessimism towards reform following the mass executions of the royal family and aristocrats in the French revolution
- the Whigs supported moderate reform, suggesting careful and controlled concessions to the middle class, idea that reform would bring about an alliance between the middle class and elite rather than with the working class - would gain support of middle class
What kind of protest for reform was there in Britain before the French revolution?
- opposition before the French Revolution was limited to middle class businessmen who increasingly resented the ruling elites whose policies impacted their economic welfare e.g. policies that started wars could restrict the market
- increase in newspapers in the 1780s meant the growth of politicised clubs and societies - London had 13 daily newspapers, 50 provincial newspapers out of London
- William Pitt’s proposal to disenfranchise 36 of the worst boroughs and redistribute seats was defeated by 74 votes in the Commons
What were some examples of middle class societies set up before the French Revolution which promoted reform?
- The Society for Constitutional Information 1780 (supported universal suffrage and annual parliaments, educated people on need for reform through pamphlets - cost 1-5 guineas per year to join)
- The Yorkshire Association (platform for country gentlemen to petition against corruption and call for greater accountability for government actions, supporting moderate reform)
Who was John Wilkes?
middle class man who made a name for himself by asserting the right of voters to choose MPs, encouraged the reporting of Parliamentary debates and in 1776, promoted universal male suffrage
Why did the unreformed system last so long?
- ruling elite remained united in defence of the status quo
- no revolutionary, united protest movement
- french revolution of 1789 cemented a desire to keep Britain as it was
- Lord Liverpool (1812-27) repressed suggestions at parliamentary reform and passed moderate economic reform to appease the middle class
What radical societies formed calling for reform (following the French Revolution)?
- Sheffield Society for Constitutional Information 1791 (raised 10,000 signatures on a petition calling for male suffrage in 1792)
- London Corresponding Society 1792 (founder claimed there to be 5,000 members in early 1970s, cost a penny a week, hosted open air meetings e.g. a demonstration at Copenhagen Fields attracted over 100,000, distanced themselves from violence and Paine so more popular?)
How many copies of Paine’s book were sold?
200,000 by 1793
- however his ideas were never taken up by radical societies in Britain
“What were the main reasons for the growth in reform agitation?”
- Parliament’s unwillingness to reform (e.g. Burke)
- emergence of a middle class
- the French Revolution
- Paine’s “The Rights of Man”
What was the “Reign of Terror”?
William Pitt’s term to crush any radical activity in Britain to avoid revolution (aimed to counter the terror taking place in France)
How did the government respond to calls for reform?
- intimidation
- legislation
- propaganda
- loyalism
How did the government use intimidation to respond to calls for reform?
- 1790-93 relied on magistrates to discourage radical action e.g. removing licenses of pubs that allowed radical meetings
- in 1793 an Alien Section and Secret Service made to infiltrate radical societies
- prosecutions made against radical figures e.g. Thomas Muir charged with 14 years transportation
How did the government use legislation to respond to calls for reform?
- Habeas Corpus was suspended in 1794 meaning political prisoners could be held indefinitely
- 1795 “Two Acts” were passed - Treasonable and Seditious Practices Act (broadened the law of treason) and Seditious Meetings Act (banned meetings of 50+ people whose aim was to discuss reform or petition Parliament)
- Combination Acts 1799 and 1800 banned development of trade unions
How did the government use propaganda to respond to calls for reform?
- conservative publications printed in 1790s to support government actions e.g. The Sun
- this gained Pitt support in Parliament and brought patriotism against the threat from France
How did the government use loyalism to respond to calls for reform?
- increase in loyalist groups of people who recognised Britains prosperity and improvements e.g. the Poor Laws
- “Church and King” clubs developed in 1790s, loyal to the crown and establishment, used violence and intimidation to crush threats to the church e.g. in Birmingham 1791
- 1000s of loyalist groups by 1793 e.g. APLP set up by John Reeves which grew to be the largest political organisation in the country with 2,000 branches nationwide
Why did demand for reform increase from 1815? (7)
- end of Napoleonic Wars
- Population growth and economic problems
- impact of industrialisation
- emergence of the radical press
- Hampden Clubs and Union Societies
- Henry Hunt’s public speaking
- Gov policies
How did the end of the Napoleonic Wars increase reform demands after 1815?
during the wars the gov had linked radicalism with the French Revolution, the end of the war removed this obstacle to radical activity
How much did national debt increase following the Napoleonic Wars?
£238 million to £902 million
How many soldiers returned to Britain following the Napoleonic War?
400,000 - struggled to find work
What did the 1815 Corn Law do?
restricted the import of foreign corn, allowed profits for landowners but made bread expensive for workers
How much did indirect tax rise by?
removal of income tax which affected the rich and increase of indirect tax that affected the poor from £16-17 million in 1790s to £50-60 million after 1816
What did John Cartwright do for reform demands?
- set up the first Hampden Club in London 1812, aiming to educate workers and campaign for universal suffrage
- toured 900 miles in 29 days gaining 130,000 signatures on 430 petitions
- there were 150 Hampden Clubs and Union Societies by 1824
What did William Cobbett do to increase reform demands?
contributed to the emergence of radical press - published a leading article in his Weekly Political Register regarding the need for political reform
Who was Henry Hunt and what did he do for reform demands?
- wealthy landowner fed up with the corrupt political system
- organised mass meetings designed to provoke a violent response from authorities such that the ruling elite would lose credibility with the public - this tactic was culminated in the Peterloo Massacre of 1819 (in which he was imprisoned for 2 1/2 years)
What policies did Lord Liverpool introduce which caused growth in reform demands?
- the corn law 1815 (protection for wheat prices, guaranteeing a price of 80 shillings for 1/4 tonne before foreign grain was allowed into the market to maintain landowner profits)
- income tax repeal (removal of this meant high earners became richer and indirect tax increased which affected common workers for the majority)
- the game laws 1816 (made poaching against a landowner punishable by 7 years inprisonment or transportation, rural areas relied on hunting as a way of supplementing low incomes)
- suspension of the Habeas Corpus 1817 (meant political prisoners could be kept in prison without charge for a prolonged period, however this was repealed the following year)
- the six acts 1819
