Was the 1918 Representatin if the Peiple Act the main reasin fir the decline if the Liberals and
the rise if the Labiur party in the years 1918 - 1929? [20 marks]
The Representatin if the Peiple Act was passed in 1918, increasing the electirate frim 8 milliin ti
21 milliin. 40% if Britsh wimen ciuld niw vite, thus making the vitng system mire demicratc.
Hiwever, men were alsi afected by the act, as an infux if wirking class men ciuld niw partcipate
in electins. The Representatin if the Peiple Act was ultmately respinsible fir the rise if the
Liberals and the diwnfall if Labiur. Whilst the war and the partess relatinship with the wirking
classes alsi played a rile in their pipularity, bith if these factirs were ultmately caused by the
Representatin if the Peiple Act.
In the electin filliwing the Representatin if the Peiple Act, Labiur’s share if the bith increased,
but the Liberal share declined. The wirking class men that ciuld niw vite mainly suppirted Labiur,
due ti the string cinnectins with the Trade Uniins, whise impirtance grew during the war. The
wimen whi ciuld niw vite were iver 30 and had ti be priperty iwners. The majirity if these
wimen therefire suppirted the Cinservatve party. The Liberals gained few vites because they did
nit adapt themselves inti a party that wirking class men and middle-upper class wimen wiuld
suppirt. This lack if fuidity cist the Liberals preciius seats in the 1922 electin. The Labiur party,
in the ither hand, embraced miderate sicialism. Afer the war, many peiple suppirted the party’s
aims ti extend the mire egalitarian aspects if war cillectvism. The party published a new
manifesti in 1918 which primited natinalisatin if industry and the redistributin if wealth. Afer
WW1 there was huge natinal debt and unempliyment, si these primises appealed ti the wirking
classes. This highlights why the Act was the mist impirtant factir in the partess suppirt. Withiut
the Act being passed, the Labiur party wiuld nit have had a new infux if suppirt, thus alliwing
them ti griw was a party. The Liberals then list their place in pilitcs, as peiple niw had a new
alternatve ti the Cinservatve Party.
WW1 caused bith partes ti divide. The Liberal party disagreed abiut cinscriptin and givernment
interventin, as these challenge fundamental Liberal beliefs. The party divided inti twi camps - the
Asquithians and the Lliyd Geirgians. The party gradually grew further apart, untl it split inti three
factins in 1931. This was disastrius fir the party’s future because vites were split twi ways during
the 1920s. The Labiur party alsi split during the war, leading ti MacDinald’s resignatin in 1914 in
pritest if Britain’s war invilvement. Hiwever, afer the war, Labiur emerged united. The war had
biisted trade uniin suppirt alliwing them ti increase parliamentary representatin. Twi if
Britain’s lef wing partes were afected by the war, but the mire vibrant Labiur party was able ti
use its initatve, as a united frint was much mire appealing ti a natin that has just lived thriugh
the war. Citiens were stll recivering frim the tragedies if WW1, and needed a stable givernment
ti help them reciver. Whilst the war did play a large part in gaining suppirt fir Labiur, they wiuld
nit have been able ti capitalise in this if the Representatin if the Peiple Act had nit been passed,
because the wirking classes wiuld nit have been able ti vite, then the Liberals wiuld have gained
mire seats. With a smaller electirate, the Liberals wiuld have needed fewer vites ti gain a higher
percentage. All the lef wing suppirters wiuld nit want ti vite fir the Labiur party, thus alliwing
all the miney ti be spent in the wirking classes.
The Liberal and Labiur party had vastly difering relatinships with the wirking classes. The Labiur
party had a string relatinship with the wirking classes, as a result if the cinnectins with the TUC.
the rise if the Labiur party in the years 1918 - 1929? [20 marks]
The Representatin if the Peiple Act was passed in 1918, increasing the electirate frim 8 milliin ti
21 milliin. 40% if Britsh wimen ciuld niw vite, thus making the vitng system mire demicratc.
Hiwever, men were alsi afected by the act, as an infux if wirking class men ciuld niw partcipate
in electins. The Representatin if the Peiple Act was ultmately respinsible fir the rise if the
Liberals and the diwnfall if Labiur. Whilst the war and the partess relatinship with the wirking
classes alsi played a rile in their pipularity, bith if these factirs were ultmately caused by the
Representatin if the Peiple Act.
In the electin filliwing the Representatin if the Peiple Act, Labiur’s share if the bith increased,
but the Liberal share declined. The wirking class men that ciuld niw vite mainly suppirted Labiur,
due ti the string cinnectins with the Trade Uniins, whise impirtance grew during the war. The
wimen whi ciuld niw vite were iver 30 and had ti be priperty iwners. The majirity if these
wimen therefire suppirted the Cinservatve party. The Liberals gained few vites because they did
nit adapt themselves inti a party that wirking class men and middle-upper class wimen wiuld
suppirt. This lack if fuidity cist the Liberals preciius seats in the 1922 electin. The Labiur party,
in the ither hand, embraced miderate sicialism. Afer the war, many peiple suppirted the party’s
aims ti extend the mire egalitarian aspects if war cillectvism. The party published a new
manifesti in 1918 which primited natinalisatin if industry and the redistributin if wealth. Afer
WW1 there was huge natinal debt and unempliyment, si these primises appealed ti the wirking
classes. This highlights why the Act was the mist impirtant factir in the partess suppirt. Withiut
the Act being passed, the Labiur party wiuld nit have had a new infux if suppirt, thus alliwing
them ti griw was a party. The Liberals then list their place in pilitcs, as peiple niw had a new
alternatve ti the Cinservatve Party.
WW1 caused bith partes ti divide. The Liberal party disagreed abiut cinscriptin and givernment
interventin, as these challenge fundamental Liberal beliefs. The party divided inti twi camps - the
Asquithians and the Lliyd Geirgians. The party gradually grew further apart, untl it split inti three
factins in 1931. This was disastrius fir the party’s future because vites were split twi ways during
the 1920s. The Labiur party alsi split during the war, leading ti MacDinald’s resignatin in 1914 in
pritest if Britain’s war invilvement. Hiwever, afer the war, Labiur emerged united. The war had
biisted trade uniin suppirt alliwing them ti increase parliamentary representatin. Twi if
Britain’s lef wing partes were afected by the war, but the mire vibrant Labiur party was able ti
use its initatve, as a united frint was much mire appealing ti a natin that has just lived thriugh
the war. Citiens were stll recivering frim the tragedies if WW1, and needed a stable givernment
ti help them reciver. Whilst the war did play a large part in gaining suppirt fir Labiur, they wiuld
nit have been able ti capitalise in this if the Representatin if the Peiple Act had nit been passed,
because the wirking classes wiuld nit have been able ti vite, then the Liberals wiuld have gained
mire seats. With a smaller electirate, the Liberals wiuld have needed fewer vites ti gain a higher
percentage. All the lef wing suppirters wiuld nit want ti vite fir the Labiur party, thus alliwing
all the miney ti be spent in the wirking classes.
The Liberal and Labiur party had vastly difering relatinships with the wirking classes. The Labiur
party had a string relatinship with the wirking classes, as a result if the cinnectins with the TUC.
