REFORM OF PARLIAMENT, c1780-1928
INTRODUCTION
1780, Britain didn’t have written const – system of gov + its electoral system were governed by haphazard collection of laws
+ customs grown up since 15th + early yrs of reign of Henry VI
Neither right to vote nor national distribution of seats was organized in rational way
Over 150yrs, reforms carried out = intended to make electoral system reflect changing distribution of pop + new econ force
growing through industrialization
By 1928, despite retention of monarchy + unelected HOL = Britain transformed into parliamentary democracy based on
universal suffrage
1832, First Reform Act passed into law = Great Reform Act – many disappointed by provisions, which excluded bulk of w/c
men from franchise
1867, Second Reform Act, enfranchised large no. of urban w/c
1884, 3rd Act, extending vote to many agricultural labourers
Despite changes = 40% adult males not received vote = franchise given only to men who had stake in country through
ownership/tenancy of property
WW1 undermined ^ = by 1916, pol parties agreed it was indefensible that young men could be sent to fight + die at war but
not vote = Reform Act 1918, universal male suffrage, enfranchised women over 30
1928 Act conceded universal suffrage for all men + women over 21
1430, 2-member constituencies established, but in 1885 Redistribution Act, most of these swept away with creation of
single-member seats = beneficial to Cons Party through creation of suburban areas around large cities
HOW EFFECTIVE WERE PRESSURES FOR CHANGE TO THE FRANCHISE IN c1780-1928?
FRANCHISE c1780 + IT’S SIGNIFICANCE FOR REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE
COUNTRY FRANCHISE
In English + Welsh countries, right to vote established during reign of Henry VI 1430 giving vote to all freeholders of
property worth 40 shillings (£2) per year
Simple qualification established uniform country franchise that remained unchanged for 400yrs
Inflation + rising price of land increased no. of men qualified for franchise
BOROUGH FRANCHISE
Eric Evans described pre-reform elections as ‘haphazard business’ = applied to voting rights in boroughs
Right to vote not uniform, with wide variations form 1 seat to another
Open boroughs = vote exercised by men who met various qualifications, like direct payment of local poor rates – Preston 1
of most open boroughs: vote given to all men who were in constituency at time of election
Electorate in open boroughs run into thousands = 20 boroughs had large elections of > 1,000 men, Westminster had 11,000
= noted for their independence, not susceptible to influence
Scot + lot boroughs = vote to males who paid local tax, or scot; while in potwalloper boroughs vote could only be exercised
by those who had possessed hearth where they could boil/wallop their pots
Burgage boroughs = right to vote belonged to men who owned various properties + ownership of these votes protected
Corporation boroughs = towns where voters were only members of town council = self-perpetuating cliques who filled
vacant seats on council by nomination, not election = corrupt + electors of towns were content to sell votes to highest
bidder
- Suffolk Town of Sudbury corrupt = 1761, town advertised its 2 seats for sale to highest bidder
- Sudbury so corrupt = disenfranchised 1844
Treasury boroughs = parliamentary seats under control of gov departments, which were chief employers in town – ports
along S coast of England under influence of Admiralty + returned MPs who would give unswerving support to gov of day
Pocket/rotten boroughs – property owned by 1 person who was able to nominate chosen candidate for election to parl
- Once areas of econ activity, but over time became depopulated, but retained parl representation
- Late Middle Ages = Dunwich, Suffolk, international port with trade to + from EUR – heavy storms + coastal erosion =
port claimed by sea, but tiny village remained + retained 2 MPs
- Old Sarum, Hampshire, thriving community in Middle Ages, but inhabitants moved to Salisbury – by 1780, it was heap
of stones visited by people curious to see 1 of most corrupted boroughs in country
SIZE OF ELECTORATE
Impossible to assess size in 1780 because registration of electors not established until Reform Act 1832
INTRODUCTION
1780, Britain didn’t have written const – system of gov + its electoral system were governed by haphazard collection of laws
+ customs grown up since 15th + early yrs of reign of Henry VI
Neither right to vote nor national distribution of seats was organized in rational way
Over 150yrs, reforms carried out = intended to make electoral system reflect changing distribution of pop + new econ force
growing through industrialization
By 1928, despite retention of monarchy + unelected HOL = Britain transformed into parliamentary democracy based on
universal suffrage
1832, First Reform Act passed into law = Great Reform Act – many disappointed by provisions, which excluded bulk of w/c
men from franchise
1867, Second Reform Act, enfranchised large no. of urban w/c
1884, 3rd Act, extending vote to many agricultural labourers
Despite changes = 40% adult males not received vote = franchise given only to men who had stake in country through
ownership/tenancy of property
WW1 undermined ^ = by 1916, pol parties agreed it was indefensible that young men could be sent to fight + die at war but
not vote = Reform Act 1918, universal male suffrage, enfranchised women over 30
1928 Act conceded universal suffrage for all men + women over 21
1430, 2-member constituencies established, but in 1885 Redistribution Act, most of these swept away with creation of
single-member seats = beneficial to Cons Party through creation of suburban areas around large cities
HOW EFFECTIVE WERE PRESSURES FOR CHANGE TO THE FRANCHISE IN c1780-1928?
FRANCHISE c1780 + IT’S SIGNIFICANCE FOR REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE
COUNTRY FRANCHISE
In English + Welsh countries, right to vote established during reign of Henry VI 1430 giving vote to all freeholders of
property worth 40 shillings (£2) per year
Simple qualification established uniform country franchise that remained unchanged for 400yrs
Inflation + rising price of land increased no. of men qualified for franchise
BOROUGH FRANCHISE
Eric Evans described pre-reform elections as ‘haphazard business’ = applied to voting rights in boroughs
Right to vote not uniform, with wide variations form 1 seat to another
Open boroughs = vote exercised by men who met various qualifications, like direct payment of local poor rates – Preston 1
of most open boroughs: vote given to all men who were in constituency at time of election
Electorate in open boroughs run into thousands = 20 boroughs had large elections of > 1,000 men, Westminster had 11,000
= noted for their independence, not susceptible to influence
Scot + lot boroughs = vote to males who paid local tax, or scot; while in potwalloper boroughs vote could only be exercised
by those who had possessed hearth where they could boil/wallop their pots
Burgage boroughs = right to vote belonged to men who owned various properties + ownership of these votes protected
Corporation boroughs = towns where voters were only members of town council = self-perpetuating cliques who filled
vacant seats on council by nomination, not election = corrupt + electors of towns were content to sell votes to highest
bidder
- Suffolk Town of Sudbury corrupt = 1761, town advertised its 2 seats for sale to highest bidder
- Sudbury so corrupt = disenfranchised 1844
Treasury boroughs = parliamentary seats under control of gov departments, which were chief employers in town – ports
along S coast of England under influence of Admiralty + returned MPs who would give unswerving support to gov of day
Pocket/rotten boroughs – property owned by 1 person who was able to nominate chosen candidate for election to parl
- Once areas of econ activity, but over time became depopulated, but retained parl representation
- Late Middle Ages = Dunwich, Suffolk, international port with trade to + from EUR – heavy storms + coastal erosion =
port claimed by sea, but tiny village remained + retained 2 MPs
- Old Sarum, Hampshire, thriving community in Middle Ages, but inhabitants moved to Salisbury – by 1780, it was heap
of stones visited by people curious to see 1 of most corrupted boroughs in country
SIZE OF ELECTORATE
Impossible to assess size in 1780 because registration of electors not established until Reform Act 1832
