How Effective was Gladstone's First Ministry? 1868-1874

?
  • Created by: ktommo
  • Created on: 16-05-17 20:30

Social

Effective

  • Education provision increased Government grants to voluntary schools
  • Licensing Act allowed JPs to reduce opening hours for pubs
  • Children receiving elementary education doubled from 1870 to 1880 to almost 3 million
  • Attempts were made to deal with Britain's chaotic health problems

Wasn't Effective

  • Difficult to please Non-Conformists and Anglicans with Education Reform
  • Non-Conformists alienated by Education Reform and Licensing Act
  • Licensing Act alienated the Working Class and brewers
  • Health boards didn't want to spend money
1 of 5

Political

Effective

  • Recruitment of the Civil Service by merit rather than privilege
  • University Tests Acts promoted equality-again removed privilege
  • Trade Union Reform 1871-for first time powers of Trade Unions were defined in law
  • Secret Ballot Act was introduced in 1872
  • Judicature Act re-organized the courts and made them more efficient
  • Cardwell's reforms removed privilege in purchasing commissions and ensured better recruits

Wasn't Effective

  • Alienated aristocracy by removing privileges in Army and Civil Service
  • Secret Ballot Act was not instantly effective i.e. as late as 1910 still instances of intimidastion in counties
  • Secret Ballot was mainly due to John Bright-Gladstone largely disliked it
  • The Criminal Law Amendment Act alienated the Working Class by effectively making strikes difficult to organize
2 of 5

Ireland

Effective

  • Disestablishment of the Anglican Church in Ireland
  • Tithes no longer needed to be paid
  • Attemps to give some kind of protection to Irish Peasantry
  • Wealth of disestablished Anglican Church used to improve schools, hospitals and workhouses
  • University for Roman Catholics
  • Courts used to try and prevent exorbitant rents
  • Gladstone's popularity with Catholic Church leaders

Wasn't Effective

  • First Land Act didn't solve the land problem and led to further discontent and more violence
  • Disestablishment of the Irish Church alienated Irish Anglicans
  • Gladstone had to introduce a Coercion Act in 1871
3 of 5

Gladstonian Liberalism

Effective

  • Concerned with the freedom of the individual
  • Did adopt a distinctive approach such as his measures for Ireland
  • Social Reforms were laissez-faire, not compulsory
  • Reforms can be seen as Liberalism, 'as action'
  • Gained support from Working Class, Middle Class and Non-Conformists
  • Worked with the Radical wing of the Liberal Party
  • Attacked the privileges of the Church and Aristocracy as a means of maintaining these institutions
  • Had an emphasis on efficiency such as Army, Civil Service and Judicature Act
  • Showed tolerance-particularly to other religious groups
  • Education Reform which fits in with the view of progress
4 of 5

Gladstonian Liberalism

Wasn't Effective

  • Alienated Anglicans, Working Class, Aristocracy and Non-Conformists
  • Lost support from the House of Lords
  • Not always seen as Liberal such as the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1871
  • Measures in Ireland were contradictory such as the use of coercion
  • Many of the reforms were limited
  • Reform dried up by 1872
5 of 5

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all Modern Britain from 1750 resources »