Politics - A Wider Franchise and Debates over Suffrage

?
View mindmap
  • A Wider Franchise and Debates over Suffrage
    • Franchise/suffrage = the ability, or right, to vote in public elections
    • Those who cannot vote in the UK
      • Under 18s
      • EU citizens (apart from those from the Irish Republic), although they can vote in local elections
      • Members of the H of L
      • Prisoners (though this has been challenged by the European Court of Human Rights but so far ignored by government)
      • People barred (for 5 years) for being corrupt or illegal electoral practice
      • People compulsorily detained in a psychiatric hospital
    • Key Milestones in the Widening of the Franchise - from the late Middle Ages to the early 19th century
      • Two types of constituency: counties and boroughs (towns). Varied considerably in size. Counties - had to own freehold property worth at least 40 shillings/£2. Boroughs - ability to vote varied. Some allowed any freemen, others depended on property ownership or the payment of some kind of local tax
      • Distribution of parliamentary seats did not keep up with economic and population growth meaning tiny boroughs seats but new ones had no representation at all
      • Plural voting allowed wealthy men to vote more than once
      • Women were excluded from voting
    • The Great Reform Act of 1832
      • Abolished separate representation of underpopulated  boroughs and created seats for new urban areas, like Manchester
      • Granted votes to other people such  as tenant farmers and smaller property holders
      • Created a standard qualification for boroughs: now applied to all male householders living in properties who paid a yearly rental of £10 or more
      • Electorate increased to about 5% of the adult population
      • Post-Great Reform Act - vote extended further in stages. Wasn't until 1918 that right to vote wasn't based on property ownership and became a citizen's right (except this still didn't apply to women on the same basis as men)

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Government & Politics resources:

See all Government & Politics resources »See all Democracy resources »