Gladstone And Disraeli

Reform Act

•  1832 reform act is passed by a Whig government
• The PM = Lord John Russell
• 1866 second reform act is proposed
• Passed by a liberal government
• Liberals - Like GRADUAL change
• 1866 reform is opposed and defeated by conservatives
• 1867 reform act almost doubles the electorate
• 1866 Conservatives defeat 2ND reform... following year they introduce 2ND reform act
• PARLIAMENTARY UPHEAVAL!
• Why were politics turned upside down between 1885-1888
• The beginning - The Agenda
• 1832---> reform act
• - People in Borough's
• - Who were householders
• - Payed £10 a year as taxes
• - Were given the vote
• Borough and counties
• Borough - Traditional area
• Redistribution of seats ... increasing W/c get more power
• 1860's
• Growing pressure for reform
• Means that there is a need for franchise
• 1860's ---> 1/5 men could vote
• Redistribute parliamentary seats
• Population increases
• 1831-1861
• - 24-29 million
• More people have moved to industrialized areas
• Expansion of the SKILLED W/c (respectables)
• MP's say that the skilled w/c are "ready to join society"
• 1848- year of revolutions
• All countries have a revolution
• Britain, does not!
• Proves to MP's that the people are mature
• E.g. Lancashire cotton workers
• 1861-1865 American civil war starts
• Northern America's war ship blockade some parts of America
• South America's cotton trade, therefore, can not leave the port
• No raw cotton coming from America to Britain (Lancashire)
• This leads to massive unemployment and…