Reasons for Tory Reforms of the 1820s

Argument

• Improving economy led to an end of Post War Distress and Discontent
• The Government could move from repression to reform with a more stable society and economy
• Implement ideas of free trade and liberalism

However

• Ideas of a move towards free trade were started before 1822 by Wallace
• The Government didn't actually achieve full free trade
• Corn Laws still remained

Example-Huskisson's Economic Reforms

Argument

• Reorganizing and streamlining criminal law to make the system more efficient
• Adopt a liberal point of view e.g. reducung the number of capital offences
• Influence of humanitarians and reformers

However

• Reforms emerged from a committee of enquiry which sat in 1819
• The system may have been streamlined, but it was in no way more liberal i.e. the system was no lenient than it has been in the past
• Reforms simply removed obsolete or rarely enforced laws
• Reforms did not always apply universally

Example-Penal Code Reform;Jails Act;Metropolitan Police Act

Argument

• Adopt a more liberal approach to non-conformists and Catholics
• Repeal of Tests and Corporations Act

However

• Reforms simply formalized what was already happening in practise
• Catholic Emancipation was limited by the increase in the voting qualification in Irish Counties
• Aim was to prevent a constitutional crisis and potential civil unrest / civil war in Ireland
• Formalising what was already happening (Repeal of Test and Corporations Act)

Example-Catholic Emancipation;Repeal of Test and Corporations Act

Argument

• A more liberal approach was adopted towards trade unions
• Campaigning by reformers e.g. Place and Hume

However

• Simply recognising what had gone wrong in practise i.e. Combination Laws had not stopped strikes or trade unions
• Trade Union activity was still restricted
• The Amending Act placed further restrictions on Trade Unions

Example-Repeal of the Combination Acts;Amending Acts

Argument

• Younger, more liberal, men were promoted to the cabinet in the 1822 re-shuffle
• This led to a change in direction for Liverpool's Government as it adopted more liberal policies

However

• The men promoted to senior cabinet posts were already in the cabinet before 1822
• There is no evidence to suggest that the promotions in the 1822 cabinet had a distinct ideological aim

Example-Promotion of Peel and Huskisson