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What attitude had been taken to reform after 1832?
There was to be no more; revolution had been avoided and the system was now final.
What nicknamed had been given to a former champion of reform?
Lord John Russell, a Liberal PM in the 1850s, had earned the nickname "Finality Jack" for his stance that the Great Reform Act was the final necessary reform to the system.
When were the three 1850s Reform Bills? Who introduced them and why did they fail?
- 1852 Reform Bill; Lord John Russell's Liberal government; some said it went too far, others that it didn't go far enough; withdrawn due to lack of support
- 1853 Reform Bill; Lord John Russell and the Liberals again; fell on the outbreak of the Crimean War
- 1859 Reform Bill; the Earl of Derby's Conservative government; a minority government - the bill was defeated in the Commons by 39 votes
When and how did attitudes toward reform in the public begin to change?
In the 1850s, people started to modernise in their attitudes and felt that the old Parliament of interest and property was not reflecting this.
What types of factors kick started reform in the 1860s?
- organisations
- politicians
- international events and economic factors
What organisations created pressure for reform in the 1860s?
- the National Reform Union: founded 1864; wanted household suffrage, evenly distributed seats and secret ballot; led by merchants, industrialists and radical MPs; supported by middle class Liberals; had 150 branches across Britain by 1867
- the Reform League: founded 1865; wanted manhood suffrage; operated out of pubs and working men's clubs; attracted trade unionists and ex-Chartists; mainly working class organisation; 400 branches by 1867
The Union had the money, the League had the members. By 1867, they worked together.
How did politicians cause reform to be an issue again in the 1860s?
- Palmerston's death in 1865: as PM, his popular foreign policy meant he could block things he didn't like; big on social reform but not reform for its own sake; saw no need for political reform (said democracy would "bring the scum to the top"; when he died, Russell became PM again and there was no longer the obstacle to reform.
- Gladstone had become converted to reform: he had visited Lancashire cotton mills during the 1860s cotton famine and was impressed by the solidarity of the working classes; he then began spring extending the franchise to the 'respectable' working classes.
- Disraeli's desire to win: he wanted to break the Liberals' domination of politics, which would be possible if the Conservatives delivered reform when it was traditionally the policy of the Liberals; passing reform would be good for the Party and for him, particularly in his rivalry with Gladstone
What international and economic factors played a role in the reemergence of reform?
- Movements for unification in Italy and the American Civil War greatly interested people; they seemed to be fights for democracy; the visit by the Italian radical Garibaldi to London was very popular
- There was a poor harvest in 1865, putting many on poor relief
- There was a cholera epidemic in 1866-67, killing 14000 people.
- The Limited Liability Act 1862 had led to inside speculation and, in 1866, Overend and Gurney, a legendary financial house in London, collapsed leading to financial implications.
- The new model trade unions for skilled working people made them look more organised and respectable.
What was the first major reform proposal in the 1860s?
The Representation of the People Bill 1866 was brought forward by Gladstone. It would have lowered the voting qualifications to include about 400000 skilled working class people.
Why would the Liberals gain politically from their 1866 Bill?
They had seen through poll books that those working class people who could vote already tended to vote for them. They would likely gain voters from the Bill.
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