1919thth Century England Century England

““An Era of Reform”An Era of Reform”

Civil Unrest AbsentCivil Unrest Absent

• While most European nations faced While most European nations faced civil unrest in the mid-19civil unrest in the mid-19thth century century (Rev. of 1848), England solved her (Rev. of 1848), England solved her problems with reform efforts.problems with reform efforts.

Why Reform?Why Reform?

• England was not without social England was not without social problems, BUT:problems, BUT:– English aristocrats accepted reformEnglish aristocrats accepted reform– Industrialization had created a strong, Industrialization had created a strong,

wealthy middle class determined to gain wealthy middle class determined to gain corresponding political powercorresponding political power

– Early reforms often dealt with matters of Early reforms often dealt with matters of interest to the middle classinterest to the middle class

– Victorian compromiseVictorian compromise– Workers were excluded from the political Workers were excluded from the political

process and were often cruelly exploited.process and were often cruelly exploited.

BackgroundBackground

• Tory administration (Castlereagh) Tory administration (Castlereagh) responsible for defeat of Napoleonresponsible for defeat of Napoleon– Conservative policies favored the Conservative policies favored the

aristocrats and angered the common aristocrats and angered the common citizens.citizens.

• Serious economic problems due to Serious economic problems due to huge military expenditures made huge military expenditures made during the wars and large-scale postwar during the wars and large-scale postwar industrial unemployment.industrial unemployment.

Corn Laws: 1815Corn Laws: 1815

• English farmers faced disaster due to English farmers faced disaster due to cheap, continental imported grains.cheap, continental imported grains.– Hurt the landed aristocracy (already Hurt the landed aristocracy (already

threatened by the growing econ. clout of threatened by the growing econ. clout of the middle class factory owners)the middle class factory owners)

– The poor loved the cheap pricesThe poor loved the cheap prices

• Tory Parliament passed the corn laws, Tory Parliament passed the corn laws, putting an import tariff on foreign putting an import tariff on foreign grainsgrains

ResponsesResponses

• The poor rioted against the higher The poor rioted against the higher prices and the middle class formed prices and the middle class formed the Anti-Corn Law League SO:the Anti-Corn Law League SO:

• Coercion Acts of 1817Coercion Acts of 1817– suspended “habeas corpus,” providing suspended “habeas corpus,” providing

for arbitrary arrest and punishment for arbitrary arrest and punishment – Drastically curtailed freedom of the Drastically curtailed freedom of the

press and public mass meetingspress and public mass meetings

Peterloo Massacre: 1819Peterloo Massacre: 1819

• Public continued to protestPublic continued to protest

• Peaceful public meeting in Hyde Park Peaceful public meeting in Hyde Park broken up by the policebroken up by the police– 4 killed and hundreds wounded4 killed and hundreds wounded– Public (poor and middle class) was Public (poor and middle class) was

outraged!!!outraged!!!

Six Acts: 1819Six Acts: 1819

• In response to public protest In response to public protest Parliament passed the 6 Acts.Parliament passed the 6 Acts.– Revoked freedom of the press, speech Revoked freedom of the press, speech

and assemblyand assembly– Strengthened police powers and police Strengthened police powers and police

brutality ok’dbrutality ok’d– Flimsy arrests became the norm.Flimsy arrests became the norm.

18201820• Cato Street ConspiracyCato Street Conspiracy

– Extremists plotted to blow up the entire Extremists plotted to blow up the entire British cabinetBritish cabinet

• Elections of 1820Elections of 1820– Younger more liberal Tories and some Younger more liberal Tories and some

Liberal reps won Parliamentary seatsLiberal reps won Parliamentary seats– Even English aristocrats were frightened Even English aristocrats were frightened

by the loss of their civil libertiesby the loss of their civil liberties– This led to an era of reformsThis led to an era of reforms

Victorian Era (1837-1901)Victorian Era (1837-1901)

• Queen V succeeded her uncle King Queen V succeeded her uncle King William IV at age 18 and married her William IV at age 18 and married her cousin, Prince Albert.cousin, Prince Albert.

• Encouraged reforms Encouraged reforms – Accepted by the aristocrats because Accepted by the aristocrats because

together with the middle class, they all together with the middle class, they all preserved their own interests at the preserved their own interests at the expense of the poorexpense of the poor

– Middle class controlled the House of Middle class controlled the House of Commons and the aristocracy controlled Commons and the aristocracy controlled the army, House of Lords, and the the army, House of Lords, and the Church of EnglandChurch of England

Great Reform Bill of 1832Great Reform Bill of 1832

• Annulled the Enclosure ActsAnnulled the Enclosure Acts– No more new enclosuresNo more new enclosures

• RedistrictingRedistricting– No more rotten boroughsNo more rotten boroughs

• Suffrage for factory owners & those Suffrage for factory owners & those paying large rents, as well as the paying large rents, as well as the traditional aristocratic voterstraditional aristocratic voters– ***Ended the era of squirearchy******Ended the era of squirearchy***– ***Major shift in political power******Major shift in political power***

Reform LegislationReform Legislation

• Slave Act of 1833Slave Act of 1833

• Factory Act of 1831 (Age 9)Factory Act of 1831 (Age 9)

• New Poor Law of 1834 (workhouses)New Poor Law of 1834 (workhouses)

• Municipal Reform Law of 1835 Municipal Reform Law of 1835 (officials to reside in the city limits (officials to reside in the city limits for at least 5 years prior to their for at least 5 years prior to their election to the city councils)election to the city councils)

• Repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846Repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846– Due to fear of revolutionDue to fear of revolution

ChartismChartism

• Workers were astounded that all of Workers were astounded that all of these reforms failed to bring them these reforms failed to bring them prosperity and political power.prosperity and political power.

• Chartism became their solutionChartism became their solution– Linked the solution of their economic Linked the solution of their economic

plight to a program of political reformplight to a program of political reform

• Petitioned Parliament to adopt the 6 Petitioned Parliament to adopt the 6 points of their “Great Charter”points of their “Great Charter”

ChartismChartism• Demands included:Demands included:

– Universal Male SuffrageUniversal Male Suffrage– Secret ballot for votingSecret ballot for voting– Elimination of property qualifications for Elimination of property qualifications for

members of Parliamentmembers of Parliament– Salaries for MP’sSalaries for MP’s– Annual elections for ParliamentAnnual elections for Parliament– Redistricting to create equal electoral Redistricting to create equal electoral

districtsdistricts

• Demands were perceived as Demands were perceived as dangerously radical for their daydangerously radical for their day

Failure of ChartismFailure of Chartism

• Chartism as a whole failedChartism as a whole failed– Supporters were split between those who Supporters were split between those who

favored violence and those that advocated favored violence and those that advocated peaceful tacticspeaceful tactics

• The return of prosperity and lower food The return of prosperity and lower food prices coupled with slow but steady prices coupled with slow but steady wage increases in the 1850’s and wage increases in the 1850’s and 1860’s robbed the movement of 1860’s robbed the movement of momentummomentum

Lord PalmerstonLord Palmerston

• Dominant political power in England from Dominant political power in England from 1850-651850-65– Variety of positions included Foreign Secretary, Variety of positions included Foreign Secretary,

Home Secretary, and Prime MinisterHome Secretary, and Prime Minister

• Preoccupied with colonial problems in China Preoccupied with colonial problems in China and India and British interests in the Am. Civil and India and British interests in the Am. Civil WarWar– Sepoy RebellionSepoy Rebellion– 22ndnd Opium War Opium War

• Little Attention to domestic affairsLittle Attention to domestic affairs

Realignment of British Political Realignment of British Political PartiesParties

• Tired of Palmerston’s blunders, the Tired of Palmerston’s blunders, the Whigs and Tories reorganized to Whigs and Tories reorganized to defeat him.defeat him.

• Tories became the Conservative Tories became the Conservative PartyParty

• Whigs became the Liberal PartyWhigs became the Liberal Party

Reform Prime MinistersReform Prime Ministers

• Palmerston died in 1865Palmerston died in 1865

• Disraeli (Tory) and Gladstone (Whig) Disraeli (Tory) and Gladstone (Whig) alternated with one another, sharing alternated with one another, sharing power for most of the rest of the power for most of the rest of the centurycentury

• Both were reformersBoth were reformers

Gladstone (1809 – 1898)Gladstone (1809 – 1898)

• Budget Expert (orig. Chancellor of Budget Expert (orig. Chancellor of the Exchequer)the Exchequer)– Supported free trade and fiscal Supported free trade and fiscal

responsibilityresponsibility

• Supported Irish Home RuleSupported Irish Home Rule

• Wanted extension of democratic Wanted extension of democratic principles to include a greater % of principles to include a greater % of the British populationthe British population

Disraeli (1804 – 1881)Disraeli (1804 – 1881)

• Wanted an aggressive foreign policyWanted an aggressive foreign policy– Favored the expansion of the British Favored the expansion of the British

Empire, particularly in Africa Empire, particularly in Africa

• Supported the extension of the Supported the extension of the franchise to include the working classfranchise to include the working class

Great Reform Bill of 1867Great Reform Bill of 1867

• Promoted by DisraeliPromoted by Disraeli• Redistribution of Parliamentary seats to Redistribution of Parliamentary seats to

provide more equitable representationprovide more equitable representation• Extended the vote to include all adult male Extended the vote to include all adult male

citizens who paid 10 pounds or more rent citizens who paid 10 pounds or more rent annually.annually.

• ***Almost all men over 21 could now ***Almost all men over 21 could now vote***vote***

• 1868: Liberal majority elected by new 1868: Liberal majority elected by new electorate—lasted for next four terms.electorate—lasted for next four terms.

Liberal ReformsLiberal Reforms

• Ballot Act of 1872 (secret ballot)Ballot Act of 1872 (secret ballot)• Civil Services Reform Act of 1870 (civil Civil Services Reform Act of 1870 (civil

service exams)service exams)• Education Act of 1870 ($$ for schools Education Act of 1870 ($$ for schools

all over England, even in poor areas)all over England, even in poor areas)• University Act of 1870 (no religious University Act of 1870 (no religious

tests for admission)tests for admission)• Representation of the People Act of Representation of the People Act of

1884 (all males over 21 could vote; 1884 (all males over 21 could vote; redistricting created 1 rep per 50,000 redistricting created 1 rep per 50,000 citizenscitizens

Disraeli’s ReformsDisraeli’s Reforms

• Food and Drug Act (regulated sale Food and Drug Act (regulated sale and quality of food and drugs)and quality of food and drugs)

• Public Health Act (gov’t standards for Public Health Act (gov’t standards for sanitation)sanitation)

Who’s Left Out???Who’s Left Out???

• Women!!! Particularly after the 1867 Women!!! Particularly after the 1867 great reform bill.great reform bill.