Essay Subjects

Essay Subjects

1. Reform Bill

   • Reform Act of 1832 altered structure of electorate by increasing MC power via increase and redistribution of electoral seats (more positions in HoC and disenfranchising rotten boroughs), causing more accurate representation of public opinion
   • Acceptance of Reform Act was combo of past social unease (Indust., war, economic depression caused decreased confidence in gov) and recent events (Catholic Emancipation (1829), French Rev. (July 1830) and political unions) causing British Gov to accept political reform to avoid uprising.
   • Earl Grey (Whig) during reign of William IV presented the bill numerous times before acceptance in 1832 (parliamentary argument occurred in 31-32)
   • Catholic Emancipation allowed them parliament seats and role in politics. Catholics were loyal to foreign power, not Church of Eng. (protestant), and would undermine Christians
     • Ireland was fighting for Catholic Emancipation (O'Connell) and revoke of Act of Union (1801)
       • Whigs were committed to reform, to make gov more aristocratic by allowing landed elite to vote
         • Gov which represented wisdom (Lords) and interests (Commons) achieved by separating boroughs and counties. Voters had to pay taxes and own property

2. Peel's Conservative Party

   • Peel? PM of UK twice and was head of Conservative (Tory) Party (opposed the Liberal Whigs).
   • Aim to oppose reform and preserve crown, House of Lords, Irish Union and connection b/w the Church of England and State
     • Peel's Corn Law repeal created free trade (changed Eng.). He took rich $ for the poor, caused personal loss
       • Conservative Party was moderate right wing, keeping extreme r-wing from politics, had peaceful methods and responded to wider change of important ideas. (sensible and adaptive- Income Tax 1842, Bank Act 1844 and Corn Law repeal)
         • Peel went against own parties ideals,
   • PM in 1834 forming Conservative Party and releasing Tamworth Manifesto (stressing need to accept reform due to threat to civil and ecclesiastical establishments) to control gov conflict.
   • First Fall: Whigs and Radicals allied against him, and he resigned in 1835 (then was a period of political fluidity, Derby Dilly failed and radical Whig gov caused a dominant Tory party)
   • Second: PM again in 1841, he repealed Corn Laws (and tried to pass Irish Coercion Bill)
   • Corn Law: To decrease dissatisfaction of Irish Great Famine. Passed by Whigs and Radicals (controversial among conservatives)
   • Second Fall: Failure of Irish Coercion Bill caused Peel and other Tories to resign, disbanding the conservative party.

3. Landed Elite

   • Landed gentries under threat of being obsolete (from industry and urbanisation and failure to assimilate to changing economy and politics)
     • People with power have $ ie landed elite. To remain wealthy, stop others from being wealthy. Wealth was protected legally (primogenitire) and they avoided social revolution (which would entail land seizure and redistribution ie loss of wealth)
       • Urbanisation initially good as it increased land value, turning poor agriculture land to high value urban settlement, and industrialisation generated wealth (fuel extraction), maintaining elite wealth)
         • Landed elite had social influence t/f political power and used wealth to control. They must remain the majority in small population. Increased population forced parliamentary control to lower classes.
   • Reform Act (1832) gave power to those outside landed elite, (power was insignificant upon constitution)
   • Prospering agricultural market allowed landed gentry prominence until 1852, however 1867 Reform Act (allowed suffrage to urban male WC) shifted parliament from aristocrats, causing loss of power
   • Britain was increasingly populated and urban and WC and industry encroached on countryside causing contraction of farmland and landed gentry influence
   • WC and LC prospered and were more independent from landowning, altering parliament.
   • Game Preservation Act (1862), Malt Tax (1964) and Cattle Plague (1865-66) disturbed agricultural success, causing fall of agricultural wealth after 1874), landed gentry were expected to fall.
   • Aristocrats survived change as (after Corn Law repeal (1846) they seeked alternative income, while still subscribing to 'country' ideals. Those who didnt compromise, became obsolete.

4. Victorian Values

   • 1780-1850 moral revolution influenced by capitalist MC (society accepted their entrepreneurial ideals) despite aristocracy remaining in power, influencing public morality, and education ( MC had indirect legislative control)
   • Aristocratic ideals (protection of honor, and 'code of gentlemen') vs. capitalist MC (sensible, virtuous and economically superior)
   • Evangelists (Wilberforce) allowed Cap. MC morals to infiltrate aristocrats, and then WC.
   • Values exposed each class' sin creating a moral expectation and responsibility to society (became more polite and inhibited) 'Victorian values'
   • 1850-60 Height of Victorianism: Revolution of edu. (religion to science, competition and discipline) forming 'self-made man', fear among aristocrats as edu. and acculturation of lower classes made them more productive (notion of upward social mobility)
   • Despite aristocrat leadership, the force of entrepreneual ideal formed new morals, class fluidity and subdued aristocratic and WC opinion = MC rise
     • Victorians in revolt against previous generations foolishness, frivolity etc. (personified by Geroge IV) cruelty (slavery). Victorians were hypocrytical as there was transcendence of lawlessness and immorality
       • Wealth gave them luxury, decadence and idleness unless it was moralised. (the aim was moral and military progress) Ie Universal Moral Revolution making Eng. rischer and better
         • Vic. Values: respectability (clean, sober thrifty)), work (related to God, t/f everyone should work), seriousness of character (concern for hell) and self-help (dont need help, individuals are capable). Led to superficial improvement
           • Ideals advert. by Q Vic, evangelists, distinguished parliamenatarians, entrepreneurs and press
           • Teatotalism 1853 made everyone respectable but removed social places (pubs) and moved issues underground

5. Who Were the Chartists?

   • Those with money, were socially and politically influential, there was tension b/w classes (1832 Reform Bill excluded WC) leading to Chartism, a WC movement against misinterpretation of 'the people' aiming for reform of politics to allow WC what they deserved and remove dependance upon tenants and equality in land ownership
     • Belief they were all equally capable of governing (democracy), they wanted equal constituency (equal weight of vote) abolition of property qualification for MPs, payment of MPs (allow anyone to join), elections yearly (MPs are accountable). National Chartist movement (50-100,000 demanded this.
       • In the past, aristocrats used law to protect themselves and generate poverty, t/f they rejected Chartism (police force to resist riots)
         • Land Plan (1843) allowed poor to buy land = self sufficiency,
         • Chartism was very noticible, they organised themselves and articulated intelligent political demands. Economic changes made them less desperate, they went away.
   • Movement (1838-48) rejected corrupt society (those in control manipulated law to increase own wealth at detriment of lower class). Land owning MC was in middle (relying on aristocrat frivolity and WC lack of power), they were target of Chartists
   • 1838-39 & 1842 were periods of strength where significant support was shown, howeve Chartism advanced into failure when 1842 General Strike lacked clear leadership and purpose.

6. Existence of God?

   • 1830-80 Movement of scientific awareness altered social, political and theological ideals of period.
   • Previously, moral development was hinged upon hierarchy of society supporting a God who punished sin and saved pure (this disfavored WC).
     • Q of truth or falsity of religion crucial. Morality of society gov authority (all stem from religious Q).
       • They lived in religious culture making big demand on what they did and their relations. Some good (abolish slavery), some bad (arguments of different religious interpretations)
   • Improved education, and popularity of radicalism led to new way to view society, focusing on biology vs biblical (scientists like Darwin didn't negate religion but critique of religion led to intellectual crisis)
   • Agnosticism prominent (neither belief nor disbelief in God) through scientific examination (evolution), science and religion became seperate entities (1880s), and increased scepticism towards judgemental God.

7. Integrated Nation:

   • 1873-1920 Irish fought for separation from UK while Scot and Welsh were more integrated. UK was created by conquest (1603). The demographic dominance allowed wealthy Eng. to control Scotland and Wales and they became like Eng. in industrialisation, specialisation, urban, and wealthy. They were disatisfied with this.
     • Scottish (1745) openly rebelled against Eng, to reclain rightful crown but failed (Eng. disbanded clans, kilts, built fortresses to squash highlands and rebels were defeated by 1746) Scotland still has different legal systems
     • Ireland never became protestant, remained Catholic (bar N Ireland)