topic 14 - the development of the liberal party

what happened to the whigs in the lat 1830s?

they began to be known as the liberals

what caused this change?

the formally aristocratic party began to gain support from middle class voters

they gradually transformed the party into one which aimed to put…

more middle class reformist ideas into practice

who did they draw their ideas from?

the works of economists, philosophers and political theorists

is there an exact date which marks this shift?

no

when do many historians think it took place?

1859

why do they think this?

because there was a meeting between the whigs, peelites and radicals to work together in an attempt to overthrow the minority conservative government

who was the first liberal prime minister?

gladstone in 1868

what did they believe in?

lassiez- faire governing

what does this mean?

they believed the government should only interfere to remove obstacles to progress and efficiency

they also believed that…

individual enterprise was the best way to ensure economic progress

why was the lassiez-faire ideology troublesome?

because areas such as factory reform, religious reform, tackling poverty and public health needed government support

what does the lassiez-faire ideology tell us about the liberal party?

that they were not very reforming