HSY2601 FINAL PORTFOLIO 2026
DUE 30 APRIL 2026
Question: Critically discuss how the gradual growth of parliamentary power in
Britain during the 19th century reflected the principles of liberal democracy. In
your response, consider the influence of the French Revolution’s legacy on
British political developments and public discourse.
ESSAY
The nineteenth century was a very important time in British political history. During this
period, Parliament slowly gained more power and changed the relationship between the
government and the people. This reflected important ideas of liberal democracy, such
as individual freedom, representative government, the rule of law, and limiting the power
of the state. However, many privileges still remained for the rich and the aristocracy.
This period cannot be fully understood without the influence of the French Revolution of
1789. It inspired people with ideas of liberty and equality, but it also created fear
because of violence, terror, and disorder. The Reform Acts of 1832, 1867, and 1884,
together with the growth of responsible party government and parliamentary
sovereignty, helped Britain move closer to liberal democracy. At the same time, the
impact of the French Revolution made Britain choose a careful, slow, and conservative
path of political change.
, The French Revolution's Dual Legacy and Its Impact on British Political Discourse
The French Revolution of 1789 represented a watershed moment in European history,
and its impact on the British political establishment cannot be overstated. The Study
Guide notes that the revolution "degenerated into mob rule and terror," transforming
democracy from an ideal into a term "to be feared in European monarchies as it was
believed to denote the tyranny of the poor, uneducated and ignorant masses that would
threaten the social order and property."¹ This fear permeated British conservative
thought for decades. John Wilson Croker, an ultraconservative member of parliament,
articulated this anxiety by arguing that the British constitution, as settled in 1688, was
simultaneously perfect and pitifully fragile any parliamentary reform would unleash the
same terror that had consumed France.²
Yet the French Revolution was not merely a source of reactionary fear. Its message of
"liberty and equality sent shockwaves all over the world," as the Study Guide observes.³
The Declaration of the Rights of Man articulated universal principles that could not be
contained within French borders. Thomas Babbington Macaulay, the historian and
member of parliament, drew a different lesson from the French experience. He argued
effectively that the French aristocracy had provoked revolution precisely through their
"dumb resistance to all reform."⁴ This insight became a cornerstone of Whig and later
Liberal reformist strategy: reform was not a concession to radicalism but a prudent
measure to preserve the existing order by removing legitimate grievances.
1 University of South Africa, HSY2601 Study Guide (Pretoria: Unisa, 2010), 6.
² Study Guide, 85.
³ Study Guide, 7.
⁴ Study Guide, 85.
DUE 30 APRIL 2026
Question: Critically discuss how the gradual growth of parliamentary power in
Britain during the 19th century reflected the principles of liberal democracy. In
your response, consider the influence of the French Revolution’s legacy on
British political developments and public discourse.
ESSAY
The nineteenth century was a very important time in British political history. During this
period, Parliament slowly gained more power and changed the relationship between the
government and the people. This reflected important ideas of liberal democracy, such
as individual freedom, representative government, the rule of law, and limiting the power
of the state. However, many privileges still remained for the rich and the aristocracy.
This period cannot be fully understood without the influence of the French Revolution of
1789. It inspired people with ideas of liberty and equality, but it also created fear
because of violence, terror, and disorder. The Reform Acts of 1832, 1867, and 1884,
together with the growth of responsible party government and parliamentary
sovereignty, helped Britain move closer to liberal democracy. At the same time, the
impact of the French Revolution made Britain choose a careful, slow, and conservative
path of political change.
, The French Revolution's Dual Legacy and Its Impact on British Political Discourse
The French Revolution of 1789 represented a watershed moment in European history,
and its impact on the British political establishment cannot be overstated. The Study
Guide notes that the revolution "degenerated into mob rule and terror," transforming
democracy from an ideal into a term "to be feared in European monarchies as it was
believed to denote the tyranny of the poor, uneducated and ignorant masses that would
threaten the social order and property."¹ This fear permeated British conservative
thought for decades. John Wilson Croker, an ultraconservative member of parliament,
articulated this anxiety by arguing that the British constitution, as settled in 1688, was
simultaneously perfect and pitifully fragile any parliamentary reform would unleash the
same terror that had consumed France.²
Yet the French Revolution was not merely a source of reactionary fear. Its message of
"liberty and equality sent shockwaves all over the world," as the Study Guide observes.³
The Declaration of the Rights of Man articulated universal principles that could not be
contained within French borders. Thomas Babbington Macaulay, the historian and
member of parliament, drew a different lesson from the French experience. He argued
effectively that the French aristocracy had provoked revolution precisely through their
"dumb resistance to all reform."⁴ This insight became a cornerstone of Whig and later
Liberal reformist strategy: reform was not a concession to radicalism but a prudent
measure to preserve the existing order by removing legitimate grievances.
1 University of South Africa, HSY2601 Study Guide (Pretoria: Unisa, 2010), 6.
² Study Guide, 85.
³ Study Guide, 7.
⁴ Study Guide, 85.
