Political Reform.

In 1815 Britain became able to import large amounts of cheap grain from Europe which had been impossible during the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815). But British landowners passed the Corn Laws, according to which import duties would be charged on imported wheat.

By the 1840s public opinion changed in favour of free trade. Most people believed that government should interfere in the economy as little as possible. They also believed that countries should trade without import duties. So in the early 1840s Prime Minister Peel abolished many tariffs. The most important was the abolishment of Corn laws in 1846.

Robert Peel was prime minister in 1834-35 and 1841-46. He also formed the first modern police force in London in 1829. The police were called 'bobbies' or 'peelers' after him.

From 1828 to 1830 the Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) was prime minister. He introduced the Catholic Emancipation Act (1829). Since the Reformation Catholics had been unable to become MPs or to hold public office. The Act restored those rights to them.

In the early 19th century there were increasing demands for reforms. However Wellington was strongly opposed to any change to the electoral system. At that time there were two types of constituency, country areas and towns or boroughs. In the countryside only the landowners could vote. Thus, before 1832 Britain was ruled by an oligarchy of landowners. After 1832, owing to Great Reform Bill, the urban middle class had an increasing say and the new industrial towns were now represented in parliament. In 1825-1828 the death penalty was abolished for more than 180 crimes.

However the working class were excluded from the reforms. From 1838 a working class protest movement called the Chartists was formed. (They were named after their People's Charter). The Chartists wanted all men to have the vote. Furthermore. Chartists wanted the property qualification abolished (at that time you had to own a certain amount of property to become an MP). They also wanted MPs to be paid. In 1867 most workers in the towns were given the vote and in 1872 the Ballot Act introduced voting by secret ballot. In 1884 farm labourers were given the vote.

⇐ Предыдущая 1 2 3 45