How Did The Role Of Social Change In The 19th Century

19th century Britain was a place experiencing massive change in almost every facet of life. The industrialization of the country radically altered its economy, attempts to close the wage gap altered it socially, a century of wars and complex foreign affairs altered its geopolitical landscape, and calls for equality among the citizens changed it politically. More specifically, these calls for equality drastically changed the electorate of Britain and led to more equal representation in Parliament and the elimination of corruption via the Reform Act of 1832. This act, passed under the administration of Earl Grey, helped to add a significant portion of the population to the electorate and eliminated many of the corrupt methods of controlling the election of Members of Parliament. …show more content…
It installed seats in more heavily populated industrial areas while eliminating them in sparsely populated areas which could be easily bought or manipulated. The Reform Act of 1832 was one of the most significant pieces of legislation passed by Parliament in the 19th century, allowing more of the populace to vote, cutting down on the systematic corruption which had plagued Parliament since its creation, and making more uniform the requirements to vote in elections. It helped to alleviate tensions which had caused pushback from the lower class, including demonstrations and riots around England, but in the end was only partially effective in addressing the issues it was intended to fix. In reality, the upper class still dominated Parliament, and the lower class were still underrepresented, but the step was an absolutely vital one in the direction of