The growth of parliamentary democracy 1785-1870 (PART 1: 1785-1820)

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  • Created by: ljenkins
  • Created on: 15-05-17 12:26
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  • The growth of parliamentary democracy 1785-1870 (1785-1820)
    • Pre-reform
      • Franchise
        • Counties
          • rural shires
          • elected 2 MPs to Westminster
          • had to own a freehold property worth more than 40 shillings a year (based on Act of Parliament 1430)
          • problem: despite size, each county returned 2 MPs
            • 1800: Bedfordshire pop 2,000 / Yorkshire pop 20,000
        • Boroughs
          • urban towns
          • elected 2 MPs
          • Six types of qualifications: corporation: members of town council could vote freemen: anyone with status of a freeman could vote scott and lott: anyone who paid poor rates burgage: ancient form of rent - anyone who owned a property that required this type of rent potwalloper: householders with a hearth big enough to boil a pot on freeholder: similar franchise to counties
      • Parliamentary seats and elections
        • Lack of secret ballot
          • people had to cast their votes in front of other residents
          • intimidation and bribery were used and effective (rich landowners controlled these pocket boroughs)
            • allowed the wealthy to ensure their political dominance (in the houses of Commons)
            • 1801: Gatton in Surrey was 'bought' at auction for £90,000, so the 'owner' did not have to stand for election against a rival
        • Only 11% if the population could take part in an election
        • system created in the medieval period
        • rotten boroughs: used to be prominent in the medieval period but not anymore
    • The political demands of the manufacturing interests
      • Industrialisation (end of 1700s) established the middle class - owners of new factories, self-made men
      • wanted political representation
      • educated men, employed thousands of workers
      • favoured laissez-faire (government should have no control over economic matters)
        • end of Napoleonic Wars, when the government passed legislation to restrict trade, middle class fought back
          • Corn Law - aimed to protect British farmers from foreign competition now that war was over - prohibited the import of foreign corn until domestic corn prices rose to 10 shillings a brushel
            • Corn Laws drove up the price of bread which was a staple food source for the poor - employers forced to raise wages to maintain a healthy workforce
      • patronage meant ineffective men found themselves in the houses of Common - saw this as aristocratic favouritism - middle class men now wanted representation and better distribution of seats

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