Why was the Reform Act of 1867 passed?
Why
was the
Reform
Act of
1867
passed?
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
What were the factors
favouring reform in the
1850s?
What was the impact of high
and low politics?
What were the terms of 1859
Bill and the factors for
reform in 1860s?
Was democracy inevitable?
What were the terms of the
1866 Bill and why did the Bill
fail?
Why was the 1867 Bill passed;
was it because of high or low
politics?
What were the terms of the
Bill?
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
1867 Power Point
End of topic
Reform Unions pages 40-41
Why was 1867 Reform
Chapter 4 (pages 201+) Extension of the Act passed?
Franchise
Chapter 2:2
Chapter 4 section 3 Government and
Reform: Britain 1815-1918
Chapter called “Continuity with the
past” pages 206-7
Cartoon from Punch showing D & G
in a race
Chapter called “A Leap in the Dark”
and Cartoon called “A Leap in the
Dark”
Pages 40-41 on Reform Unions
Pages 159-161 from Britain book
Chapter called “Parliamentary Reform
after 1832”
Chapter 4”The significance of
parliamentary reform …”
What were the factors favouring reform
in the 1850s?
Learning Objectives:
• To understand why the
attitude of politicians to
reform changed.
• To learn about the attempts
to bring in a Reform Bill
Cartoons
• Cartoons are used a lot at AS and A2.
• Look at the cartoon and work out what it
is about.
• Notice who the main characters are; what
model of change do you think it portrays?
• What do you think this tells us about why
a Reform Act was passed in 1867?
Dizzy wins
• Cartoon was published on 25th May 1867.
• The Liberals won the General Election
of 1868.
• The Conservatives won the General
Election of 1874.
• The Liberals won in 1880
The 1850`s
• Use Chapter 4 pages 49 -51 to work
together on this task.
• Take a section each to investigate.
• When your section is complete share it
with the rest of the group.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why was Parliament reform acceptable in
the 1850s?
The Chartists had failed, Britain had not experienced a revolution in
1848 so to widen the franchise would be safe. Population was growing –
the skilled working classes were becoming more prosperous, so the
electorate had naturally increased from 700,000 to nearly 174 million in
1866 (based on £10 householder franchise in boroughs). If the working
class were prevented from voting they might be driven towards the
radicals. The party that introduced reform might gain an electoral
advantage.
The Conservatives might be attracted by the need to win a General
Election and stay in power.
Some working classes seen as respectable because they were not
revolutionary, they had benefitted from an economic boom from 18431873. They increasingly wanted to accept the norms of society and not
rebel against them. Many were becoming literate. They joined Trade
Unions but these were also now respectable and started to have
influence. They were patriotic, religious and loyal to the monarchy. They
were sober, sensible and thrifty.
The Residuum were the unskilled, lower working classes, they did not
share in this prosperity and were not seen as fit for the privilege of
voting.
Key Terms
What do these mean?
•
•
•
•
Franchise
Literate
Thrifty
Residuum
Key Terms
What do these mean?
• Franchise – the right to vote officially
granted to a person by the Gov.
• Literate – able to read and write. The
economic boom had given more working
classes advantages in education.
• Thrifty - Using money and other resources
carefully and not wastefully.
• Residuum – unskilled working classes that
would not be included in the extension of
the franchise
Find out about the Bill introduced in 1859:• Why was it introduced ?
• What were the terms of the Bill ?
• Why did it fail ?
Then
• use pages 52-54 to find out what factors
influenced reform in the 1860`s. Make a
list !
Why did reform come back on the agenda in 1860’s
and why was the reform bill rejected?
Learning Objectives:
• To consolidate
understanding of the
reform bill of 1859
• To understood why
Gladstone introduced a
bill in 1866 and why it
failed
Homework Feedback
1859 Bill
• Why was it introduced ?
• What were the terms of the Bill ?
• Why did it fail ?
What factors influenced reform in the 1860`s:
•
•
•
1859 Bill
• Why was it introduced ?
The idea of looking at reform from the idea of party advantage had now begun. Disraeli
however felt that the Whigs had constructed a bill which suited them in 1832 and that
the Conservatives were now entitled to do the same.
• What were the terms of the Bill ?
£10 borough franchise extended to counties, extension of borough boundaries to include
more rural voters, £20 lodger vote, a second vote to those earning £10+ a year from
investments or had £60 savings (fancy franchise).
• Why did it fail ?
Russell proposed a resolution (expression of opinion in HofC which does not have full
weight of law) calling for an extension to the borough votes and it passed – this would
benefit the Liberals and Derby resigned in protest meaning the Liberals formed a minority
gov.
What factors influenced reform in the 1860`s:
•
•
•
•
advances of the skilled, urban working class
Gladstone’s personal support for reform
Impact from abroad – American Civil War and visit from Garibaldi
Role of trade unions and economic problems
Key Terms
Labour
Aristocracy
Residuum
Franchise
Boroughs
Fancy
Franchise
Redistribution
Venality
Adullamites
Proletariat
Key Terms
Labour Aristocracy
Position of authority
within the working
classes
Residuum
The unskilled and
untrustworthy working
classes
Boroughs
Fancy Franchise
A town or district that
originating from measures
has an administrative unit
of 1854, a £10 lodger
qualification for the
boroughs, and a £60
savings qualification in
the counties.
Venality
Being open to bribery.
Using a position for
personal gain
Adullamites
anti-reform faction
within the UK Liberal
Party in 1866.
Franchise
The right to vote
granted by the
government
Redistribution
Reducing inequalities in
wealth or advantages
Proletariat
Collective workers or
working class
Can you explain these reasons for
reform in more detail?
• Disraeli wanted to score points off
Gladstone
• The Conservatives needed to pass
reform if they were ever going to stay
in power
• Disraeli wanted to pacify the Radicals
The 1866 Bill
Using the chapter: “A Leap in the dark”
What did Gladstone aim
to do?
How did he aim to do
it?
Why did he not
succeed?
The 1866 Bill
What did Gladstone
aim to do?
How did he aim to do
it?
Why did he not
succeed?
To siphon off the
respectable working
classes
To settle on a
franchise that would
be high enough to
keep out the
residuum (£7 annual
rent)
30 Whigs rebelled,
encouraged by
Disraeli; their
leading spokesman,
Robert Lowe feared
democracy and
thought Gladstone
had gone too far !
(Adullamites)
Others thought
Gladstone was too
arrogant and too
radical.
To leave the
residuum behind
Reduce County
franchise from £50
to £14 (but these
would be middle class
– so safe !)
Opportunities for Derby and Disraeli
• Who was the Prime Minister?
• Why was Disraeli in charge?
• What 3 things persuaded D & D to go for reform ?
“A Leap in the dark”
Can you understand it?
Why did Disraeli pass the 1867 Act?
Learning Objectives:
• To understand the
Reform Bill of 1867
• To understand why
Disraeli introduced
the 1867 Act –
focussing on
high/low politics
Look carefully at the images
• Can you identify them all?
• Can you give any details about the characters?
The Proposals
Use the 2 chapters (pages 57-65 in Chapter
4) A Leap in the Dark (pages 343 – 344)
Find out:1. What the original proposals from Disraeli
were? Page 57/343-4
2. What the final terms of the Act were? Page
58/343-4
3. Why did it change? Page 58/345-6
4. What difference did it make? Impact?
59-65/346+
Page
Original Proposals
1. To give the vote to all male householders in
the boroughs. (This would enfranchise the
skilled working classes in the towns)
2. They had to pay rates personally (so not pay it
as part of their rent)
3. They had to have 2 year residence
qualification (so miss out workmen who
travelled a lot)
4. Fancy Franchises, giving votes to those who
had £50 in the bank.
The number of new voters would be 400,000
Final Terms
1. Only 1 year residence qualification
needed
2. As well as a householder franchise, a
£10 lodger franchise.
3. Vote given to Compound Householders
(those who paid rates & rent to a
landlord)
4. No Fancy Franchises
Number of new voters – about 1,100,000
Why Change?
1. Disraeli accepted amendments from
Radicals & Liberals (but not from
Gladstone !) – gain party advantage
2. To stop reform agitation
3. They had a minority government so
needed support from the Liberals in
order to get the Bill through Parliament
Number of new voters – about 1,100,000
What difference did it make?
Impact?
• The old corrupt system took a severe
blow (there were further reforms)
• Party Organisation improved
• The two party system – Liberals and
Conservatives were now two clearly
established groups and this ended the
confusion of politics in 1850s and 60s.
Disraeli`s motives
Use the sheet called Activity2.1
• Find evidence for tactics that he used to get
the bill passed?
• What evidence is there for the High Politics
model?
• Is there any evidence for the Low Politics
model?
• Is there any evidence that Disraeli did not
plan his strategy but was just an opportunist?
High or Low Politics ?
Read pages 345-346 in A Leap in the Dark.
• What side does this chapter come down on
– High or Low Politics ?
Using the A3 complete single bubble
showing the causes of reform in 1867
Why did
Parliament
ary reform
become an
issue?
Homework Feedback
Pressure Groups for Reform
• Look at the 2 organisations – The
Reform League and the Reform Union
• What are the differences between
them?
Reform League
Reform Union
Homework Feedback
Pressure Groups
Reform League
Started
1865
Radical, working class
Supported by left-wing
organisations
Wanted votes for every
resident man, but not the poor,
tramps or women
More members
Reform Union
Started
1864
Liberal, middle-class
Based in industrial towns
Wanted co-operation between
middle & working classes
Hoped Liberal Party would
benefit from an extension to the
franchise
Wanted secret ballot as well as
even distribution of seats
More money
Read pages 59-60 and find
evidence of High and Low
Politics models for this Act.
Read pages 62-63 and find
evidence of High / Low politics
Why did Disraeli pass the 1867 Act?
Learning Objectives:
• To consolidate
understanding of
why 1867 was
passed, focussing
on high or low
politics
• To practice
interpretations of
cartoons
Artisan
Demagogue
Labour
Aristocracy
Borough
County
Disenfranchise
Constituency
Tory
Democracy
Electorate
Redistribution
• What does this
mean?
• Write your own
answer explaining
what this was.
• Look at page 348 in
A Leap in the Dark;
read it carefully.
Why did Derby and
Disraeli think it was
a “safety net”?
• High or Low politics?
Redistribution
Safety Net
It allowed them to extend the
franchise whilst ensuring the mass
of voters were in the counties and
Conservative voters. Of the 52
seats reallocated 25 went to
counties.
High or Low?
High – party advantage
High Politics?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3hhqEsllc&feature=related
Cartoons
• Read extract A
• What are the 3 main interpretations of
events around 1867 ?
• Look at Extract B; label all the people
and explain the cartoon
• Do the same for extract C
High /Low Politics
• Use the printed sheet to identify which
points are High or Low politics; if they
are neither, label them as “other”
• Decide which model you are going with
for the passing of 1867
1867
• Can you explain the motives for the Bill
and the content of it?
• Do you think it was passed because of
High or Low politics?
To summarise our learning on 1867
• Complete the fishbone diagram to show
causes of 1867.
• Remember to start with any causes you
can think of.
• Use the extra 2 chapters to help if you
want extra information
• Then categorise those causes into 4
groups.
• Display those on the fishbone
Cause category
A
Cause category
B
Cause 1
Cause 1
Cause 2
Cause 2
Cause 2
1867
Reform
Act
Cause 2
Cause 1
Cause category
C
Key skill: classification of causes
Cause 1
Cause category
D
Low Politics
High Politics
Political
advantage
Reform
Union
competition
Reform
League
Cholera
epidemic
1867
Reform
Act
Democracy
was
coming
Working
classes
deserved it
Social /economic
factors
Key skill: classification of causes
Inevitability
How did the 1867 Act affect the
development of political parties?
Learning Objectives:
• To learn how the 1867
Act affected the
Liberal and Conservative
parties
• To make a judgement as
to which party gained
most
Party Politics
• 1868 – Liberals win (large majority)
• 1874 – Conservatives win
• 1880 – Liberals win (large majority)
Can you remember what we said about the pattern of
elections?
What is significant?
The electorate have the final say.
• 1868 – Disraeli resigned – showed electorate had the
final say!
• 1880 – 84% of seats contested – much higher than
previously
• 1880 – First national election campaign (Gladstone very
significant)
• 1880 – electorate given a clear choice – parties now put
forward clear manifesto’s
Party Organisation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Central Office set up by Conservatives in 1870
Demands on MP’s increased
Party discipline became tighter
Longer Parliamentary sessions – more pressure to attend debates
1867 – National Union of Conservative Constituency Association – recognition
that success in boroughs would mean efficiency at constituency level.
Needed propaganda and persuasion
Needed to make sure known supporters were registered as voters – difficult
as franchise qualification was more open to challenge
Party agents were very important
Needed to project their policies – used speakers like Bright and Gladstone to
do this
Disraeli issued a manifesto and Gladstone made promises on taxes
Beginning of the 2 party system with clear personalities, end to confusion
over Whig/Liberal
Electorate were asked to consider party policies when casting votes
Liberal registration Association set up 1860 drew up lists of candidates.
Party Organisation
How does registration affect organisation?
• Party agents had to ensure that their voters were
placed on the register
So how did parties know who their voters were?
Party Organisation
Voters had to be persuaded to vote for a particular
party by :• Reforms that appealed to the working classes, such as
better housing, public health, trade unions.
• Use of propaganda / speeches around the country
• Using Party Agents to help a candidate win an election
• Issuing a manifesto which made promises
Terms
Liberal Caucus
• Chamberlain`s strategy to counter the use of 2 votes
for 3 members.
• Liberal voters were told which 2 candidates to vote
for – so Conservatives were squeezed out
• Some boroughs had 3 MPs; so voters there had 2
votes. They could vote for 1 candidate using 2 votes,
or 2 candidates using 1 vote each.
Class-consciousness
• Awareness of one`s own identity and class.
How does this affect the way you might vote?
Temperance
• To give up alcohol- especially working men
Why did they want to do this ?
Gaining support – who wins ?
Liberals
•
•
•
•
•
Local constituency
organisations & clubs
Political education of members
National Liberal Federation set
up 1877; 50 Liberal
Associations in different
boroughs were affiliated
Use of Caucus
Labour Representation League
set up to gain more influence
within Liberal Party by Trade
Unions
Conservatives
•
•
•
•
•
•
Local constituency
organisations & clubs
Political education of members
National Union of Conservative
Associations set up in 1869
(John Gorst)
Annual Conferences held
Disraeli used Conferences to
make policy speeches
1870 Central Office set up
Support for Conservatives
Can you explain each of these?
• Deference
• Patriotism
• Dislike of foreigners
• Liberal Weaknesses
• National Party
Support for Conservatives
Can you explain each of these?
• Deference – respect for ‘social superiors’ this motivated men to vote
for the party most clearly associated with aristocracy
• Patriotism – identification of Conservative party with defence of
national interests (Gladstone’s moralistic approach meant
Conservatives claimed to protect the Empire) Conservatives were
seen as guardians of national interests
• Dislike of foreigners – in general, and in particular the Irish, meant
prejudices could be played upon in election campaigns and hostility to
immigrants, especially in working class areas, meant Gladstone’s
proposals for Irish Home Rule, Jewish Immigrants all aroused
suspicions.
• Liberal Weaknesses – Conservatives adopted a strategy of waiting
for Liberals to run into difficulties over their own reforming efforts.
They tried to appeal so widely that they were bound to let people
down.
• National Party – Disraeli’s ministry introduced new social reforms, he
now needed to attract urban working class – “One-Nation Toryism”
was a slogan and rallying cry to avoid class warfare.
Middle Classes
• By 1874 starting to support Conservatives
• They were worried that the Liberals were
becoming too liberal.
• They wanted to stop the advance of the
working classes
• They became wealthy and so identified more
with landed classes
The development of parties
Chapter 2.2 argues that there were 7 main
functions of the 2 political parties.
• Read your own allocated function and
summarise it. (3 & 4 are done together and 1
and 2 are done together, & 6 and 7 are done
together)
• Display it on your bubble map
• Explain it to the rest of the group.
• Decide which party had the biggest impact
after 1867 and which function is most
important
7 functions of political parties
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Registering Voters – it was one thing to have the right to vote but quite another to exercise it as
it was now a highly complex system. Elections could be won or lost depending on whether voters
were registered.
Spreading the message – needed to find new ways of communicating with their electorate. On a
local level leaflets and canvassing was used, on a national level the press and tours. Needed to gain
support for election campaigns
Selecting candidates – function of LOCAL party to find candidates for Parliament, Poor Law
Guardians and, after 1870, Education Boards. Local parties were often left to their own devices in
later 19th Century.
Organising election campaigns – Always a primary function, before 1867 this was only at election
time but after it was a permanent party structure.
Exerting pressure on leadership – there is debate about whether this became a function or not.
Parties set up rival candidates, organised election meetings and distributed propaganda – this was a
means whereby voters’ policy preferences achieved a degree of political relevance. However little
attempt was made to directly affect policy and there was little open criticism
Integrating groups into the political system – to make new and potentially hostile groups feel at
home. Gave them a stake in the system and demonstrated that the Party was sensitive to at least
some of their desires and prejudices. Played an important role in the education of their members –
made them ‘politically fit’
Providing facilities for leisure activities – social side. Leisure time activities used to encourage
loyalty, and were mobilised at election times. Intended to keep activists happy, “elevate and
improve” members by exposing them to middle-class values and keep young people away from bad
influences.
Terminology
What do these mean ? Discuss them in your
group and see if you can come to an agreement
• Pressure on voters
• Class-based voting
• Broad church
• Political activism
• Religion & voting behaviour
Terminology
What do these mean ? Discuss them in your group and see if you
can come to an agreement
• Pressure on voters • Class-based voting
• Broad church – Liberal Party found a way to work with the
Reform League and other semi-detached organisations shows it
was a broad church with many competing interests pushing for
support.
• Political activism – party organisations which began to develop
after 1867. Aimed to give people “a sense of participation”
• Religion & voting behaviour
What still needed to change
after 1867?
Learning Objectives:
• To know what reforms
were introduced after
1867
• To evaluate their
success
• To investigate the
impact on political
parties
What still needed to change
after 1867?
To research:
• Ballot Act
• Corrupt and Illegal
Practices Act
• Gladstone’s Reforms
• Disraeli’s Reforms
To produce:
• A 5-10 minute
presentation.
• An A4 hand out for
each student.
Aim
• To prepare for 40
mark question.
Ballot Act
• Why was it needed?
• What did the Act say? (what were the
terms?)
• How successful was it? (evaluate)
• How important was this as a move towards
democracy?
• Explain any key terminology linked to the
Act.
• Who introduced it? And when?
Corrupt and Illegal Practices Act
• Why was it needed?
• What did the Act say? (what were the
terms?)
• How successful was it? (evaluate)
• How important was this as a move towards
democracy?
• Explain any key terminology linked to the
Act.
• Who introduced it? And when?
Gladstone’s Reforms
• Give 4 examples of reforms introduced by
Gladstone.
• Give explanations of: why each was introduced
(why was it needed?), what the terms of the bill
were? (what did it say?), was it popular? Was it
successful? Does it signal a move towards
democracy or is it a social reform? How
important is it? (evaluate)
• How did it impact on their party?
Disaeli’s Reforms
• Give 4 examples of reforms introduced by
Disraeli
• Give explanations of: why each was introduced
(why was it needed?), what the terms of the bill
were? (what did it say?), was it popular? Was it
successful? Does it signal a move towards
democracy or is it a social reform? How
important is it? (evaluate)
• How did it impact on their political party?
Homework
Prepare presentation
Monday 17th March
Revise
Assessment on 1867
Start on Monday 17th March and Tuesday 18th
March
What still needed to change
after 1867?
Learning Objectives:
• To know what reforms
were introduced after
1867
• To evaluate their
success
• To investigate the
impact on political
parties
Double
Bubble!
Comparing and Contrasting: The major function of this thinking
map is to take two bubble maps and compare concepts. The
outside circles are reserved for differences whilst the inside are
reserved for similarities
Trade Unions
Legal status
and activities
(G=1871, D=
1875)
Army
Reforms
1870
Civil
Service
Act
1870
Voting –
Ballot Act
and Corrupt
Practices
Act
1872
Gladstone’s
Reforms
Education
Level of
education
and ages
(G=1870 , D=
1876)
Licencing
Beer and
opening
hours
(G=1872,
D=1874)
Factory Act
74/78 and
Employers and
Workmen Act
1875
Disraeli’s
Reforms
Housing
Artisans
Dwelling
Act 1875
Public
Health
Act
1875
The Ballot Act
Answer:
When – it was passed
• 1872 under Gladstone’s Liberal Government
Why – it was passed
• Means of preventing the influencing, bribery and intimidation of voters through the more
discrete means of persuasion by aristocratic patrons
• Considered an essential first step towards the rooting out of corruption
• 1868 election was corrupt and the violence that followed was, unusually, extremely
publicised by the press
• 1870 report by Bright and others to the government was highly in favour of secret ballot
Who – was in favour of it and who was against
• Radicals had long campaigned for this reform, elements within the Liberal Party (John
Bright) who believed that tenant farmers in particular were obliged to vote for their
landlords or face eviction. Passed by Liberal Government under Gladstone
• Gladstone however had a personal dislike for the Act but pushed it through for political
gain, Lord John Russell (architect of 1832) defended open voting as he saw the secret
ballot as a prelude to universal suffrage, defenders (including Lords Shaftsbury) regarded
the secret ballot as ‘unmanly’ and tainted with cowardice
What - it meant
• Abolition of voting by public declaration and replacement by a system of voting by ballot.
Whether – it was significant or not
• Symbolic significance – in long term it made the system more representative and
democratic and pushed for the growth of political pressure groups.
• However – the 1880 election was the most expensive to date, voters could now receive
bribes from both sides of contest, corruption was not rooted out and elections continued
to be lively affairs, the results of its introduction did not bear out the hopes of its
supporters or the fears of its opponents.
Answer:
The Corrupt Practices Act
Why it was needed
• Corruption continued particularly ‘colourable employment’ – the temporary and unnecessary
employment of people to gain their vote.
• Heavy election costs remained.
Who passed it
• Liberal’s – if election costs fell this might harm the wealthy Conservatives
• However it might benefit the pockets of the Conservatives and therefore the Conservative
party backed the Liberals
When it was passed
• 1883
What it said
• It was broken into the 3 main areas: 1 = the laying down of penalties, 2 = it defined what was
meant by corrupt and illegal practices, 3 = it classified expenses.
• It fixed maximum spending, legal expenses and the numbers of paid employers, it also forbade
the hiring of vehicles to carry voters to elections.
Whether it was significant; look in particular at the results of the Act.
• It has been described as “a landmark in the struggle for electoral purity”
• It had important consequences and greatly reduced corruption
• In the next General Election in 1885 the total expenditure fell by ¾ and the average cost per
vote feel from 97.75p to 18.3p)
• Candidates and their agents DID try to keep to the terms of the Act, if only because their
opponents could use their infringements against them
• Act put an onus on politicians to recruit unpaid volunteers which stimulated local party
organisation – for example The Primrose League was set up in 1883
• LIMITATIONS – politics continued to be expensive – between election rich MPs or prospective
candidates could ‘nurse’ a constituency – banning of transport benefitted some as it left certain
areas unable to vote or be fully represented
Read page 64/65 of Chapter 4
Parliamentary Reform after 1832
Second Reform Act was a success
Second Reform Act could have
gone further
Double
Bubble!
Comparing and Contrasting: The major function of this thinking
map is to take two bubble maps and compare concepts. The
outside circles are reserved for differences whilst the inside are
reserved for similarities
Trade Unions
Legal status
and activities
(G=1871, D=
1875)
Army
Reforms
1870
Civil
Service
Act
1870
Voting –
Ballot Act
and Corrupt
Practices
Act
1872
Gladstone’s
Reforms
Education
Level of
education
and ages
(G=1870 , D=
1876)
Licencing
Beer and
opening
hours
(G=1872,
D=1874)
Factory Act
74/78 and
Employers and
Workmen Act
1875
Disraeli’s
Reforms
Housing
Artisans
Dwelling
Act 1875
Public
Health
Act
1875
The Ballot Act
Answer:
When – it was passed
• 1872 under Gladstone’s Liberal Government
Why – it was passed
• Means of preventing the influencing, bribery and intimidation of voters through the more
discrete means of persuasion by aristocratic patrons
• Considered an essential first step towards the rooting out of corruption
• 1868 election was corrupt and the violence that followed was, unusually, extremely
publicised by the press
• 1870 report by Bright and others to the government was highly in favour of secret ballot
Who – was in favour of it and who was against
• Radicals had long campaigned for this reform, elements within the Liberal Party (John
Bright) who believed that tenant farmers in particular were obliged to vote for their
landlords or face eviction. Passed by Liberal Government under Gladstone
• Gladstone however had a personal dislike for the Act but pushed it through for political
gain, Lord John Russell (architect of 1832) defended open voting as he saw the secret
ballot as a prelude to universal suffrage, defenders (including Lords Shaftsbury) regarded
the secret ballot as ‘unmanly’ and tainted with cowardice
What - it meant
• Abolition of voting by public declaration and replacement by a system of voting by ballot.
Whether – it was significant or not
• Symbolic significance – in long term it made the system more representative and
democratic and pushed for the growth of political pressure groups.
• However – the 1880 election was the most expensive to date, voters could now receive
bribes from both sides of contest, corruption was not rooted out and elections continued
to be lively affairs, the results of its introduction did not bear out the hopes of its
supporters or the fears of its opponents.
Answer:
The Corrupt Practices Act
Why it was needed
• Corruption continued particularly ‘colourable employment’ – the temporary and unnecessary
employment of people to gain their vote.
• Heavy election costs remained.
Who passed it
• Liberal’s – if election costs fell this might harm the wealthy Conservatives
• However it might benefit the pockets of the Conservatives and therefore the Conservative
party backed the Liberals
When it was passed
• 1883
What it said
• It was broken into the 3 main areas: 1 = the laying down of penalties, 2 = it defined what was
meant by corrupt and illegal practices, 3 = it classified expenses.
• It fixed maximum spending, legal expenses and the numbers of paid employers, it also forbade
the hiring of vehicles to carry voters to elections.
Whether it was significant; look in particular at the results of the Act.
• It has been described as “a landmark in the struggle for electoral purity”
• It had important consequences and greatly reduced corruption
• In the next General Election in 1885 the total expenditure fell by ¾ and the average cost per
vote feel from 97.75p to 18.3p)
• Candidates and their agents DID try to keep to the terms of the Act, if only because their
opponents could use their infringements against them
• Act put an onus on politicians to recruit unpaid volunteers which stimulated local party
organisation – for example The Primrose League was set up in 1883
• LIMITATIONS – politics continued to be expensive – between election rich MPs or prospective
candidates could ‘nurse’ a constituency – banning of transport benefitted some as it left certain
areas unable to vote or be fully represented
Next Steps: HOMEWORK
• Reasons for Reform
in 1884 /5
• Identify the 5
reasons given on
pages 57-58.
• Put them into a
single bubble with a
brief explanation of
each one.
Bubble map
Reasons
for
reform
in 1884
Describing Qualities:
functions as a
descriptive organiserthe concept goes on
the centre and all
around in the circles go
adjectives or qualities
of the central concept.
How did the 1867 Act affect the
development of political parties?
Learning Objectives:
• To plan for an exam
question
• To learn how the 1867
Act affected the
Liberal and Conservative
parties
• To make a judgement as
to which party gained
most
Democracy
• In your groups discuss this question:• How far do you think that the Ballot
Act and Corrupt Practices Act were
more important in bringing democracy
than the 1867 Act.
Sources
Read the 3 sources from activity 2.2
• How do sources 1 and 2 disagree?
• What new information does source 3
give?
• How do these sources add to our
understanding of the development of
parties?
Exam Question January 2010
Look at question (b ii)
• What 2 different views are there ?
• Highlight the key words in the question;
do you understand what it is asking?
Working with the question
Do you agree with the view that,
after the extension of the franchise
in 1867, political parties sought to
gain power mainly by appealing to the
self-interest of the electors?
Sources
• Now look at the 3 sources; which views are they
taking?
7.
8.
9.
• Are there any gaps in your knowledge that you
need in order to answer this question?
Reforms
• Read the cards which show the reforms of
Gladstone and Disraeli.
• Display the information on the double-bubble
map so you can compare what they did.
• Which politician do you think did more to
attract the working classes?
• Now can you answer the question?
Double
Bubble!
Comparing and Contrasting: The major function of this thinking
map is to take two bubble maps and compare concepts. The
outside circles are reserved for differences whilst the inside are
reserved for similarities
Gladstone’s
Reforms
Disraeli’s
Reforms
How did the 1867 Act affect the
development of political parties?
Learning Objectives:
• To review exam
question (b) on
Disraeli
• To learn about the
next stages in
democracy
Essay
Look at your own essay;
• Have you quoted from the sources and
explained the quote ?
• Have you added in your own knowledge ?
Make a note on your own work to do this in
future so it is a reminder when you revise.
Mark Scheme
Use of Sources:• To reach Level 3 (9-12 marks) you need to show that
there is an interpretation under discussion and say
which source agrees with which view. You have to link
the evidence in the sources with the question.
• So, if Source 4 refers to Disraeli “grasping the nettle
of reform” then that would hint at the Act being
linked to party advantage. If Source 5 shows the
Reform League then that would hint at outside
pressure.
Mark Scheme
Own Knowledge:
• To reach Level 3 (13-18 marks out of 24) you
need to include accurate factual material
which is integrated with the sources.
• So if Source 5 shows the Reform League,
then put in what you know about it.
• If Source 4 refers to the “pressure outside
parliament of late 1866 and 1867”, then put in
what you know about these events.
How did further reforms improve
democracy in Britain?
Learning Objectives:
• To understand what
further reforms were
needed and why they
were passed
• To begin to learn about
why a further Reform Act
was passed in 1884
Other Reforms
• Think back to the 1832 Act.
• Now consider what still needs to be
done to make government and the voting
procedures fairer.
• 2 minutes to come up with 3 things !
Further Reforms
• This cartoon was published by Punch in
1842.
• What do you think it is referring to?
The Ballot Act
Resources:
• Chapter 4, page 60
• Chapter called “Continuity with the past”, pages 206-7
• Chapter pages 66-71
Answer:
• When – it was passed
• Why – it was passed
• Who – was in favour of it and who was against
• What - it meant
• Whether – it was significant or not
The Corrupt Practices Act
Resources: same as before but also use page 56 and
page 245
•
•
•
•
•
Why it was needed
Who passed it
When it was passed
What it said
Whether it was significant; look in particular
at the results of the Act.