Growth of Western
Democracies
Britain Becomes More Democratic
A Century of Reform
Division and Democracy in France
Expansion of the United States
Western Democracies
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England
Ireland
America
France
Mexico
New Zealand
Brazil
Britain Becomes More Democratic
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Reforming Parliament
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The huge discrepancies between the rich and the poor drove the push for
reform rather than revolution
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The Victorian Age (Queen Victoria
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DID NOT bring true democracy but did expand it
Political Rights (more people given the right to vote)
Redistribution of Seats of Parliament (fairer representation)
Middle class will gain some power but the nobles remained in control
“Chartists” revolt – to allow votes without public announcement
* failed, but Parliament will later adopt most of their platform
1837-1901)
Era of duty, thrift, honesty, hard work, and respectability
Middle class and a growing working class had hopes for the future
British empire grew dramatically during this era
A New Era in British Politics
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Expanded Suffrage: working-class men
Secret Ballot
Limiting the “Lords”
* power to veto bills from House of Lords
* House of Lords becomes mostly ceremonial
* House of Commons becomes the power of British government
A Century of Reform
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Social and Economic Reforms
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Free Trade and the Corn Laws:
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Campaign against Slavery
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Britain, like other countries, used tariffs to protect their local economies
Adam Smith (laissez-faire) believed no tariffs would profit them all
“FREE TRADE”
Corn Laws increased tariffs on imported grains, keeping prices up for British grown
crops. Free Traders wanted tariffs ended, keeping the price for grain down and the
cost to the consumers down
British had outlawed slavery (1807) but British ships shipped more slaves from Africa
to America than any other country
1833 – Slavery illegal in all British colonies, but still bought cheap cotton from
America
Crime and Punishment
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1800 – 200+ crimes punishable by death “capital offenses”
Juries were known to not convict someone because the punishment was too harsh
Death Penalty crimes will be decreased to only treason, murder, piracy and arson
Penal Colonies: convicts were shipped off to settlements for criminals (Aust. & NZ)
Prison conditions improved, hangings outlawed – a move to make punishment less
severe
A Century of Reform
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Victories for the Working Class:
Parliament will pass a series of reforms designed to
help the men, women, and children whose labor supported the new industrial revolution.
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Working Conditions:
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Labor Unions:
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Later Reforms:
Early conditions during the Industrial Revolution were
brutal/dangerous. Parliament began to regulate conditions, limited hours, set minimum
wages, etc
Early, unions were outlawed. Eventually Unions allowed but strikes
were still illegal. Unions spread despite the attempts to stop them
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Social Reforms to benefit the working class:
public health and housing for working class
free education for all children
gov’t jobs based on merit not by birth or wealth
Labor Party: political party that looked out for workers
Social Welfare Laws to protect the well-being of poor
Old Age Pensions
When workers concerns were listened to, the radicals had little interest
A Century of Reform
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Votes for Women: Women divided on issue
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By early 1900, suffragists believed only aggressive tactics would help
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Interrupted Parliament
Organized Huge Public Demonstrations
Still no results, some turn to violent protests
Jailed, hunger strikes, etc
The Irish Question
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British rule in 1100’s, Irish never accepted British rule
Irish forced to pay tithe to Church of England even though most were Catholic
Rebellion and resistance were common
Irish Nationalism: To stop rebellions, some reforms passed (voting for Catholics)
Yet still many injustices persisted (English Landlords could evict without notice,
illegal to teach or speak the Irish language
A Century of Reform
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The Great Hunger: ¾ of all croplands used to grow crops sent to England
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Potatoes the main crop for themselves and for export
1845 – Great Potato Famine: A blight destroyed the crop. Lack of food in
Ireland continued as British shipped all other foods out of Ireland
In 4 years, more than 1 million Irish men, women and children died of starvation
or disease. More than 1 million more will leave Ireland for America or Canada
Struggle for Home Rule: for centuries the Irish have fought for home rule
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“Irish Question” – English Parliament has also struggled with how to deal with
the lands they control in Ireland
Still today, Ireland (independent in 1921) and Northern Ireland (British
Controlled) are an issue that both Ireland and England struggle with
Division and Democracy in France
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France under Napoleon III
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Rich supported him as a strong leader
Poor liked him because he promised to end poverty
Unlike Napoleon I, NIII would not bring glory nor a return to
empire for France
Limits on Liberty
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Napoleon III ruled like a dictator (eventually will ease control)
Like other developing nations, middle class growing but poor
still living in great poverty
Built the Suez Canal (great accomplishment)
Tried to “colonize” Mexico (Mexico and US objected) failed
Foreign successes also VERY costly, little to show for it
Napoleon III lured into war with Germany, lost
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People of France so starving they were eating rats and circus animals
Challenges to the Third Republic
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Napoleon III captured, government overthrown
French set up the Third Republic (temporary) and set up peace with
Germany
(surrender lands and pay huge reparation payments)
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Government Structure
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Scandals
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Republic set up (bicameral, premier, multi-party system)
France grew economically over the years
A series of scandals weaken government control
THE DREYFUS AFFAIR
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Dreyfus, a high-ranking Jewish officer, charged with spying for Germany
At trial, neither Dreyfus or his lawyer allowed to see evidence
He was convicted to life in prison, proclaiming his innocence
Evidence came up proving him innocent and another guilty. France refused to free him
Led to efforts to reform the system, France scarred by this for a long time
Reforms in France
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After the Dreyfus Affair, France passed several reforms
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Work (wages, hours safety conditions)
Public Elementary Schools (to break the hold the of the Roman Catholic Church)
Separation of Church and State (stopped paying salary of clergy, closed church schools,
etc)
Women’s Rights (earn own wages, suffrage rights)
Looking Ahead
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By 1914, France was the largest democratic country with a constitution that protected
rights
Many French “itching” to revenge the losses in the Franco-Prussian War
Expansion of the U.S.
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Territorial Expansion (US policy of expanding coast to coast)
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Manifest Destiny: The right to expand and impose their ways on those
they overtook (Louisiana Purchase, Mexican American War, Alaska)
Settling the West: Gold/Silver drew millions out west. Mormon settlers
were fleeing religious persecution
 Native Americans were displaced by settlers, their culture was
destroyed
Expanding Democracy (most liberal on voting rights, democracy
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African Americans, Women had few rights
Calls for ABOLITION (end of slavery) Civil War will finally put an end
to it
Women’s Rights Movement (Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
Susan B. Anthony) led fight for the right to vote [suffrage]
Expansion of the U.S.
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The Civil War and its Aftermath
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The Civil War was fought for many reasons
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SUCCESSION
SLAVERY
After the CW, African Americans faced discrimination/segregation as well
as economic hardship that was worse, in many ways, than slavery
Economic Growth and Social Reform
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Industrial Revolution will totally change America, became the most
powerful economic country in the world
Industry grew, transportation and communication advances
Immigration/Growth of Cities
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Rapid Growth brought issues to the cities
Immigrants (mostly from Europe and Asia)
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Tough Conditions (slums, discrimination)
Migration from the Farms
Expansion in the U.S.
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Business and Labor: “Big Business”
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Monopolies, Harsh business practices saw great wealth that
was not shared with the workers
Unions develop out of disparity, unsafe worksites
Populists and Progressives
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People pressure governments to protect the common
person not just “Big Business”
Reforms to child labor, working conditions, regulating
monopolies, expanding voting rights
LOOKING AHEAD: US now a GLOBAL POWER
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* territories: Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines, etc
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* tradition of “Isolationism” falling away
* rivalries of European nations will cause them to fall into a
world war. The US will stay out . . . for a while
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Quick Review
 Britain
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Reforms: Political, Social, Economic, Territorial
 France
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Reforms: Political, Social, Economic, Territorial
 United
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States
Reforms: Political, Social, Economic, Territorial
Ch. 11 Essays
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Name 2 reforms towards democracy in each of
the countries studied. Explain HOW these
reforms moved that country to democracy.
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Why do you think Britain was able to avoid the
upheavals that plagued France during this era of
reforms?