• Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

What impact did the Reform Acts of 1867 and 1884 have on the political system up to 1885? Before the 1867 Reform Act the political situation might be described as one of working-class deference, middle-class complacency

Extracts from this document...


Q. What impact did the Reform Acts of 1867 and 1884 have on the political system up to 1885? Before the 1867 Reform Act the political situation might be described as one of working-class deference, middle-class complacency and aristocratic monopoly governed by a parliament and ruling party that clung to the idea that society existed for the sake of the landed classes. The Second Reform Act was perhaps a natural sequel to the First Reform Act despite being thirty-five years later. It probably went further than the majority of M.P.s wanted even though the parties realized that the time was right for further reform. Although Gladstone had introduced a Reform Bill in 1866, Disraeli attacked it using support from anti-reform rebels within the Liberal party. When the government resigned, Disraeli, as Chancellor of the Exchequer introduced his bill. The impact, although small in percentage terms, was that the electorate doubled from about 1.1 million to over 2 million and a large number of working-class men received the vote for the first time. ...read more.


In addition as more people became politicised they wanted to play a greater role in their communities, both at local and national levels. The new distribution of seats meant that constituencies were often grouped by class; middle-class suburbs, working-class inner city areas and landed-class counties. By creating a framework for a class based political system the Third Reform Act took a large step towards a greater democracy. Q. What arguments were used, in the years 1867-84 by those who supported parliamentary reform? With the passing of the Second Reform Act in 1867 some people felt that their aim to establish political democracy was beginning to become a reality. For others it was seen as a stage in the establishment of a new economic order of society. This Act, in some ways more radical than either the Liberals or the Conservatives originally intended, marked a development in the British parliamentary system. Those who, during the period up to 1884 supported reform, concentrated on pushing at the boundaries of the reforms. ...read more.


This obstructive attitude provoked Radical agitation and resulted in the beginnings of a conflict between the Peers and the people. Even the Queen tried to get the Lords to take a more conciliatory attitude. The Radicals used the slogan about the Upper Chamber 'Mend them or end them!'- showing a desire to get rid of the Lords and Joseph Chamberlain expressed his contempt for Lord Salisbury, who was responsible for the impasse, by saying:- "Lord Salisbury constitutes himself the spokesman of a class- of a class to which he himself belongs, who toil not neither do they spin."** The coming of democracy in Britain was a slow process. Most M.P.s saw no ideological reason to extend the franchise, but once reform started, political one-upmanship determined that both parties should be seen to be supporting some kind of reform. Those who argued in favour of reform had to convince a sufficient number of M.P.s to adapt their ideas and commit themselves to extending the franchise and broadening the power base. As skilled workers became politicitized there was a meeting of minds between middle and working class radicals to achieve a greater democracy. ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text


Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related AS and A Level British History: Monarchy & Politics essays

  1. Why was The Great Reform Act passed in 1832 ?

    to reduce tithes by 10 per cent and by the magistrates that wages should be a minimum of 2s. 6d. per day. In Horsham the magistrates were powerless to resist the labourers' increasing demands, but the cost of living went up and up.


    sheriffs, knights and freemen of the country would swear an 'oath of truth concerning all that shall be asked of them on behalf of their lord king, and that they will not conceal the truth for love of any one or for hated or for money or reward or for fear, promise or anything else."

  1. What changed as a result of the 1867 Reform Act?

    How did 1867 change the Borough Electorate? * The increase of the electorate in 1867 was huge to that of compared to those enfranchised in the 1832 reform bill.

  2. &amp;quot;A Leap in the Dark&amp;quot;? Was Lord Derby's Judgement of the second reform act ...

    Disraeli's personal interest shows that The Second Reform Act was not simply an unprovoked "Leap in the dark" but something that it's propagator had prepared and wanted to do for longer than just the present; The Liberal Party itself could not unite on reform, the Whig side of the party

  1. Why did neither the CPGB nor the BUF have much political impact in 1930s ...

    a slight downturn in 1938, Britain was not unfamiliar to the situation. In comparison to Russia/Germany, who suffered from major economic dislocation and hyperinflation, Britain did not fare too badly from the depression. Britain's recovery was quicker and a lot more stable than other European countries- there was no banking collapse, and many industries actually inclined.

  2. How much change did the Reform Act bring to the British political system?

    Most of the Rotten boroughs were disfranchised and new seats were given to the big towns. 22 boroughs were allocated with 2 MP's and a further 21 towns with 1 MP. Many people were disappointed with the 1832 Reform Bill.

  1. Why did the Tories pass the Reform Bill in 1867?

    The political advantage that Disraeli and the Conservative Party sought can be seen as the one reason for the Reform Bill; however there was a growing consensus and demand for further parliamentary reform throughout Britain. An event, which caused considerable public excitement, was the visit of Garibaldi.

  2. &amp;quot;A leap in the dark.&amp;quot; How accurate is this assessment of the 1867 Reform ...

    At first, Disraeli and Derby reached a compromise on the reform act that would please everyone including Cranbourne and his supporters, liberals and radicals. However, the extremely mild nature of the bill was greeted with hisses and boos in the house of commons when it was read out and subsequently it was voted out immediately.

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work