Politics 1
Conservative Timeline:
● 1833: Tories split into more conservative vs liberal minded. The ‘ultra tories’ opposed
reforms (such as the Great Reform Act 1832).
● 1834-41: Peel moderates the party, supporting the Great Reform Act and further
reforms.
● 1841-46: The Conservatives win a majority. Peel repealed the Corn Laws (1846) for
free trade, angering land owners and splitting the party.
● 1846-68: Disraeli opposed Peel and gained influence, becoming Derby’s second in
command. He was made Chancellor in 1852 and PM in 1868.
Liberal Timeline:
● 1830-46: Whigs unite under Lord Grey and pass the Great Reform Act 1832. The
Liberals began forming from the Whigs, Peelites, and Radicals.
● 1846: Corn Lord repealed leading to the Peelites splitting from the Tories.
● 1851-52: The Whigs (Russel and Palmerston) and the Peelites joined forces in a
coalition led by Aberdeen.
● 1859: The Liberals formally unite under Palmertston, who resisted reform until his
death in 1865. Gladstone and Russel then began to push for extension of the
franchise.
Disraeli:
● Background: Of Jewish heritage, faced prejudice. He faced debt troubles in his early
life but rose in politics. He championed the aristocracy. He was Prime Minister twice
and was well known for his pragmatism.
● Contributions:
○ Promoted One Nation Conservatism (social hierarchy + top’s duty to the lower
classes).
○ Modernized Tories: less reform-resistant, appealed to newly enfranchised
working-class voters.
○ Encouraged press engagement, detailed reform speeches, and outreach to
groups like the National Union of Conservatives.
● Criticism: Some argue others (e.g., Richard Cross, civil servants) did more behind
the scenes for reforms.
● Legacy: Expanded Conservative appeal, maintained political relevance, defended the
House of Lords’ integrity.
Gladstone:
● Background: Privileged upbringing (Eton then Oxford). He started as a Tory
defending the slave trade but evolved politically. Religious (Anglican), driven by a
sense of duty to God. Prime Minister four times.
● Beliefs:
○ Government guided by moral principles.
, ○ A supporter of individual liberty and freedom.
○ He believed in laissez-faire economics and supported free trade.
○ He viewed Anglicanism as the ideal form of worship.
● Challenges: Balancing his personal beliefs and convictions with running the country.
He was known for his rivalry with Disraeli.
The ‘Great’ Reform Act - 1832:
The government did not want to give into reform during times of riot/protest as it did not want
to be seen as caving to intimidation. Divisions in the anti-reform Tory party allowed veteran
reformer, Lord Grey, to become Prime Minister in 1830. His reform bill was rejected by the
Tory dominated House of Lords. Agitation from extra-parliamentary rebels convinced the
King and Lords to allow some reform. The Act was designed to take action to make the
system fairer.
● The vote was given to £10 householders in boroughs.
● Over 140 seats from rotten boroughs were redistributed to growing towns (such as
new industrial towns like Birmingham) and larger counties.
● The electorate increased from 478,000 out of 24 million, to 800,000 out of 24 million.
● There was greater representation of the Industrial North.
● The 1832 Reform Act set a precedent for change.
However:
● The secret ballot was not implemented.
● The agricultural south (counties) still had the most MPs.
● The working class were the main agitators of political reform yet they were denied a
share of the political power.
● Women still could not vote.
Why was it difficult to introduce reforms in the 1840s/50s?
● Divisions in government, as the Conservatives feared the effect of changing the
electorate. Also, many in the opposition were against reform. The House of Lords,
which held veto, was opposed.
● The attitude of Lord Palmerston, who - though a whig - was very conservative. He
believed the Great Reform Act 1832 was final and irrevocable, and that the working
class were not suitable to participate in politics.
● The chartists had 3 failed attempts to bring a People’s Charter to Parliament (1838-9,
1842, 1848-9). Their inconsistent aims, lack of support when employment was high,
and poor behaviour (violence, forging signatures, etc) undermined their credibility
and led to failure.
● Attitudes towards the working classes were generally negative and they were seen
as ignorant, dishonest, violent, etc.
● There was a lack of unity in reform parties as they all had different ideas about what
it would look like. There was a debate over universal male suffrage or retaining
property qualifications.
Conservative Timeline:
● 1833: Tories split into more conservative vs liberal minded. The ‘ultra tories’ opposed
reforms (such as the Great Reform Act 1832).
● 1834-41: Peel moderates the party, supporting the Great Reform Act and further
reforms.
● 1841-46: The Conservatives win a majority. Peel repealed the Corn Laws (1846) for
free trade, angering land owners and splitting the party.
● 1846-68: Disraeli opposed Peel and gained influence, becoming Derby’s second in
command. He was made Chancellor in 1852 and PM in 1868.
Liberal Timeline:
● 1830-46: Whigs unite under Lord Grey and pass the Great Reform Act 1832. The
Liberals began forming from the Whigs, Peelites, and Radicals.
● 1846: Corn Lord repealed leading to the Peelites splitting from the Tories.
● 1851-52: The Whigs (Russel and Palmerston) and the Peelites joined forces in a
coalition led by Aberdeen.
● 1859: The Liberals formally unite under Palmertston, who resisted reform until his
death in 1865. Gladstone and Russel then began to push for extension of the
franchise.
Disraeli:
● Background: Of Jewish heritage, faced prejudice. He faced debt troubles in his early
life but rose in politics. He championed the aristocracy. He was Prime Minister twice
and was well known for his pragmatism.
● Contributions:
○ Promoted One Nation Conservatism (social hierarchy + top’s duty to the lower
classes).
○ Modernized Tories: less reform-resistant, appealed to newly enfranchised
working-class voters.
○ Encouraged press engagement, detailed reform speeches, and outreach to
groups like the National Union of Conservatives.
● Criticism: Some argue others (e.g., Richard Cross, civil servants) did more behind
the scenes for reforms.
● Legacy: Expanded Conservative appeal, maintained political relevance, defended the
House of Lords’ integrity.
Gladstone:
● Background: Privileged upbringing (Eton then Oxford). He started as a Tory
defending the slave trade but evolved politically. Religious (Anglican), driven by a
sense of duty to God. Prime Minister four times.
● Beliefs:
○ Government guided by moral principles.
, ○ A supporter of individual liberty and freedom.
○ He believed in laissez-faire economics and supported free trade.
○ He viewed Anglicanism as the ideal form of worship.
● Challenges: Balancing his personal beliefs and convictions with running the country.
He was known for his rivalry with Disraeli.
The ‘Great’ Reform Act - 1832:
The government did not want to give into reform during times of riot/protest as it did not want
to be seen as caving to intimidation. Divisions in the anti-reform Tory party allowed veteran
reformer, Lord Grey, to become Prime Minister in 1830. His reform bill was rejected by the
Tory dominated House of Lords. Agitation from extra-parliamentary rebels convinced the
King and Lords to allow some reform. The Act was designed to take action to make the
system fairer.
● The vote was given to £10 householders in boroughs.
● Over 140 seats from rotten boroughs were redistributed to growing towns (such as
new industrial towns like Birmingham) and larger counties.
● The electorate increased from 478,000 out of 24 million, to 800,000 out of 24 million.
● There was greater representation of the Industrial North.
● The 1832 Reform Act set a precedent for change.
However:
● The secret ballot was not implemented.
● The agricultural south (counties) still had the most MPs.
● The working class were the main agitators of political reform yet they were denied a
share of the political power.
● Women still could not vote.
Why was it difficult to introduce reforms in the 1840s/50s?
● Divisions in government, as the Conservatives feared the effect of changing the
electorate. Also, many in the opposition were against reform. The House of Lords,
which held veto, was opposed.
● The attitude of Lord Palmerston, who - though a whig - was very conservative. He
believed the Great Reform Act 1832 was final and irrevocable, and that the working
class were not suitable to participate in politics.
● The chartists had 3 failed attempts to bring a People’s Charter to Parliament (1838-9,
1842, 1848-9). Their inconsistent aims, lack of support when employment was high,
and poor behaviour (violence, forging signatures, etc) undermined their credibility
and led to failure.
● Attitudes towards the working classes were generally negative and they were seen
as ignorant, dishonest, violent, etc.
● There was a lack of unity in reform parties as they all had different ideas about what
it would look like. There was a debate over universal male suffrage or retaining
property qualifications.
