Political reform in Britain in the 19 th century

1. Political reform in Britain in the 19th century

2. The Great Reform Bill of 1832 • Sponsored by the Whigs, this bill yielded to the demands of the middle class. • It did the following: • Extended suffrage to most of the middle class and small land owners, but still denied it to most urban workers and rural labourers. • Provided for redistricting to eliminate rotten boroughs • Gave more power to the House of Commons • After being threatened with the creation of new Whig peers, the House of Lords passed the bill.

3. Chartism • Organised in the 1830s by city workers to achieve political reforms and improve their living conditions. • The charter demanded: • Universal manhood suffrage • No more property qualifications for Parliament • Equal electoral districts • Secret ballot • Annual Parliamentary elections • Salaries for Parliament

4. Chartism • Chartists pushed their demands throughout the 1840s and the movement culminated with a march of 50,000 protesters in 1848. • Although Parliament refused to give in to Chartist demands (as a whole package), most of their demands were met through reform legislation, and the movement died out.

5. More Reforms • Great Reform Bill of 1867: reduced property qualifications so that most urban workers could vote • Sponsored by Benjamin Disraeli, the Conservative Party leader who wanted to take credit for the reform. • Ballot Act of 1872: secret ballot introduced • Reform Bill of 1884: extended suffrage to most peasants. • Sponsored by the Liberal Leader, Gladstone.

6. More Reforms • The Parliament Act of 1911: Weakened the House of Lords by giving it only a temporary veto over bills passed in the House of Commons. • Revenue bills could be delayed only 30 days. • All other bills could be delayed up to two years. • Reform Bill of 1918: Extended Suffrage to British women over 30 years of age. • Reform Bill of 1928: Women over 21 could vote.

7. British Economic/Social Reforms • New Poor Law of 1834: created poor houses and put able-bodied paupers to work. (hated by the poor) • 1846: Corn Laws repealed • Factory Act of 1819: banned employment of children under 9 in cotton mills and limited older children to 12 hours per day.

8. More Reforms • Factory Act of 1833: Applied to all textile mills. • Banned employment of children under 9 • Established a 9 hour day for children 9-13 and a 12 hour day for children 13-18. • Provided inspection to enforce the law. • Mines Act of 1842: banned women and children under 10 from working in mines. • Ten Hour Law of 1847: established a ten hour day for women and children in textile mills.

9. More Reforms • 1870 Education Act (Forsters Act) attempted to provide elementary education for all children; • permitted school boards to be set up where voluntary school places were insufficient; • the boards could build schools and compel attendance, but many boards did not use this power; • fees of a few pennies per week were charged, with exemption for poorer parents.

10. More Reforms • 1880 Mundella’s Act;Elementary Education Act extended the provisions of the 1876 act regarding compulsory school attendance for children aged five to ten years. • 1891: Education Act: Free public elementary education was provided for all children. • National Insurance Act of 1911: required employers to provide health and unemployment insurance to all workers.