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Lecture 8 - The Strange Survival of
Liberal England 1900-45
In the last lecture:
1867-1900 witnessed the birth of modern British politics:
Mass democracy (Reform Acts of 1867-8) with 1 in 3 adult males voting in GB and 1
in 6 in IRL in 1869
First-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system (Reform and Redistribution Acts of 1884-
5)
Two-party system with national programmes (1870s & 1880s)
Electoral behaviour not reducible to class
In this lecture
…we continue the search for the birth of class politics as a mass democracy comes slowly
into being.
While considering debates about party realignment on the left, we remind ourselves of the
Conservative dominance.
The Inevitable March?
Striking was seen as unlawful
Big employers - mines, railways, docks - particularly easy for unionists to move into
Geographically confined
Workers have autonomy over how work is organised
Reform Acts of 1867 and 1868 make the emergence of a party
representing the interests of organised labour possible
Shopworkers are difficult to unionise as they often work in small numbers alongside the
managers/ business owners
Shopworkers were also more frequently women
Unions were generally concentrated in male-dominated industries
Lecture 8 - The Strange Survival of Liberal England 1900-45 1
, Gladstone's govt. legalised some forms of striking/picketing and unionisation
Unions were pressure groups that used the Liberal party as a vehicle for change
Union membership begins to grow as they become more respected and financially
supported
Price deflation gave rise to a sense of industrial decline - led to increased unionisation and
a sense of conflict between unions and employers
In 1899 trade union congress meeting:
Labour party is dependent on trade union money and membership
Trade unions are allied with socialist groups who are generally part of the educated middle
class
Close vote illustrates that the unions were not all aligned with this strategy
Electoral Stats
Rise of the Labour party - increased share of the vote
Lecture 8 - The Strange Survival of Liberal England 1900-45 2
Lecture 8 - The Strange Survival of
Liberal England 1900-45
In the last lecture:
1867-1900 witnessed the birth of modern British politics:
Mass democracy (Reform Acts of 1867-8) with 1 in 3 adult males voting in GB and 1
in 6 in IRL in 1869
First-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system (Reform and Redistribution Acts of 1884-
5)
Two-party system with national programmes (1870s & 1880s)
Electoral behaviour not reducible to class
In this lecture
…we continue the search for the birth of class politics as a mass democracy comes slowly
into being.
While considering debates about party realignment on the left, we remind ourselves of the
Conservative dominance.
The Inevitable March?
Striking was seen as unlawful
Big employers - mines, railways, docks - particularly easy for unionists to move into
Geographically confined
Workers have autonomy over how work is organised
Reform Acts of 1867 and 1868 make the emergence of a party
representing the interests of organised labour possible
Shopworkers are difficult to unionise as they often work in small numbers alongside the
managers/ business owners
Shopworkers were also more frequently women
Unions were generally concentrated in male-dominated industries
Lecture 8 - The Strange Survival of Liberal England 1900-45 1
, Gladstone's govt. legalised some forms of striking/picketing and unionisation
Unions were pressure groups that used the Liberal party as a vehicle for change
Union membership begins to grow as they become more respected and financially
supported
Price deflation gave rise to a sense of industrial decline - led to increased unionisation and
a sense of conflict between unions and employers
In 1899 trade union congress meeting:
Labour party is dependent on trade union money and membership
Trade unions are allied with socialist groups who are generally part of the educated middle
class
Close vote illustrates that the unions were not all aligned with this strategy
Electoral Stats
Rise of the Labour party - increased share of the vote
Lecture 8 - The Strange Survival of Liberal England 1900-45 2
