Issue 1- Lesson 4

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Issue 1- Lesson 4
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Popular Pressure

• Popular pressure came from the people, who had
  marched in large demonstrations organised by the
  Reform League and the Reform Union.

• These organisations worked effectively to spread
  their influence among the upper-middle, middle
  and working class people of Britain.
• In the 1880s, these organisations now had
  representatives in parliament which pushed their
  ideas.

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Popular Pressure

• However, there is no evidence that these
  demonstrations had an impact on parliaments
  decisions to pass the Second Reform Act in 1867
  and the Third Reform Act in 1884.
• Parliament passes laws when it wants, and on what
  it wants.

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Political Advantage

• -Ballot Act 1872? why was this act passed?
• Corrupt and Illegal Practices Act 1883? why was
  this act passed?
• Third Reform Act 1883? Why was this act passed
  when it was?

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Social Changes

• Primary education for all levels of society began
  in the 1870s.
• This greatly increased the number of people in
  Britain who could read.
• By the 1880s, a greater number of British men
  could now read newspapers and form political
  opinions
• Large Libraries were built in large and small
  towns, which allowed the people greater access to
  information and a place for them to discuss
  political matters.

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Social Changes

• The Spread of Railways
• One major impact of more railways was that small,
  isolated parts of Britain now became connected.
• They received national news, and people in small
  towns began to care about national political
  issues.
• Therefore, people were less isolated from the
  rest of Britain, and now deserved to have more of
  a say in politics.

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Social Changes

• The Spread of Railways
• Gladstone began the trend of using the railways
  to travel to different parts of Britain to make
  political speeches.
• Both literate and illiterate people would come to
  listen.

Tens of thousands of people would show up to see
these celebrities speak, spreading interest in
politics where it didnt exist before.
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Why is Britain still not democratic?
House of Lords still holds equal power to the
House of Commons Men who do not own or rent a
home In their name cannot vote Women cannot
vote Members of Parliament do not receive a
wage? therefore only rich people can become MPs.
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