The Whig Reforms
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Social Reform
The 1832 GRA was followed by a burst of social reform
from the Whigs – arguably the most extensive series of
reforms that had been up to that point attempted by any
government
Reforms included:
1. The first government grant for education 1833
2. The Factory Act 1833 – first ever regulation of factory
conditions
3. The Abolition of slavery in the British Empire 1833/4
4.The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 – an attempt to
rationalise and improve the relief of poverty
5. The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 – a reform of local
government
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Motivations
Fear of revolution – urgent need to tackle
social problems such as poverty, factory
conditions etc. – the country had been
close to revolution during the struggle for
the GRA
 Liberalism (the ideology of the new middle
class?) – Adam Smith and Jeremy
Bentham
 Humanitarianism – Christian campaigners
putting pressure on the government e.g.
William Wilberforce and Richard Oastler
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Key Exam Questions
How successful were the Whig domestic
reforms of 1833-41?
 How liberal/progressive were the Whig
reforms of 1833-41?
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Look at dates carefully – a question which
cites 1832-41 could also include the GRA
Liberalism
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Liberalism was changing! Adam Smith had said
that the role of government should be minimal
and the economy should be free from
government control. The phrase ‘Laissez faire’
has been used to describe this approach – let the
‘market’ decide wage rates, working conditions,
keep taxes low etc.
This classical liberal position was challenged by
new liberals such as Jeremy Bentham and the
‘Philosophical Radicals’ who argued that some
government intervention was necessary
Bentham
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Individual freedom still very important but government
intervention sometimes necessary – sometimes individual
freedom had to be sacrificed to protect society.
Bentham introduced his utilitarian principle to the role of
government and to morals ‘does it lead to the greatest
happiness of the greatest number?’. If it does then it must
be the right thing to do.
Institutions and policies were to be subjected to other
‘utility’ principles in order to protect liberties – ‘What is it
for?’ ‘What use is it?’ ‘Is it effective?’
The ‘utilitarian's’ or ‘philosophical radicals’ were an
influential if small group of M.P’s and activists whose
influenced can be seen in some of the Whig Reforms
Humanitarians
A humanitarian is defined as someone
who works for the benefit of humanity by
reducing suffering.
 In the 19th century there were a number
of humanitarians both inside and outside
Parliament often inspired by Christianity
e.g. Elizabeth Fry who campaigned for
more humane prisons. William Wilberforce
who campaigned against slavery. Richard
Oastler who campaigned for better factory
conditions
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Education 1833
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In 1833 the first ever government grant
(£20,000) for education was established. This
was the first time ever that public money had
been set aside for the purpose of education
It was to be divided up between two religious
societies involved in schooling and when
compared to the annual budget for the royal
stables - £50,000 doesn’t seem very much!
However it marks the beginnings of government
interest in education – arguably the first step
towards the modern State education system.
The Factory Act 1833
This was the first law regulating factory
conditions which was enforced by factory
inspectors
1.
Work by children under 9 made illegal
2.
Child workers between 9-13 years were to be
given 2 hours schooling a day and to work no
longer than 9 hours
3.
Workers aged 13-18 years to be worked no
more that 12 hours a day
Adult working hours and conditions left untouched
and remained dreadful. However at least there
was now a system of inspecting factories which
would allow any future reform to be effective
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Abolition of the Slave Trade 1833
After a lifelong struggle against the slave
trade William Wilberforce just lived long
enough to see the slave trade outlawed in
the British Empire by the Whigs.
 Slave owners were compensated with
£20,000,000 (around half of total
government yearly expenditure) of
government money – around £37 a slave
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Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
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By far the most significant piece of Whig
legislation was the reform of the Poor Law.
The Old Poor Law dated back to Elizabethan
times and had broken down as a result of the
industrial revolution.
The ‘Speenhamland system’ had been adopted
over much of the south of England putting
enormous pressure of local ratepayers as
employers reduced wages
The Whigs appointed the Poor Law Commission
to investigate and propose a new system of poor
relief
Main Features
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The Speenhamland system ended – no more ‘outdoor relief’
for the able bodies – in essence only the elderly or sick and
disabled to get handouts
The able bodies to be subjected to the ‘workhouse test’ –
Anyone who received aid from the ratepayers had to be
prepared to enter the workhouse
Workhouse conditions (food and accommodation) to be set
to be ‘less attractive than the situation of the independent
labourer of the lowest class’
Those entering the workhouse were made to work for their
keep (stone breaking etc) and were subjected to complete
loss of liberty, the separation of married couples and their
children, and severe rules such as no visitors, meals to be
consumed in silence. Unless an inmate chose to leave and
risk starvation there was little chance of getting out and
finding work
Municipal Corporations Act 1835
Set up a uniform system of elected town
councils and extended the vote in local
elections to all ratepayers.
 Local councils directed to organise local
police forces modelled on Peel’s Met
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