History Mistakes

‘Gladstone’s policies were a complete failure 1868-86’ - P1: Agree eg. Land act, Liberal oppostion, CP Church Act

• Radicals eh. Hartington & Chamberlain broke away due to strong feelings against concessions in Ireland particularly when in Dec 1885 the Hawarden Kite announced G’s support for HR

• Led to formation of Liberal Unionists & weakening of Liberals meant Gladstone found it difficult to get his policies supported & had to rely on INP making him vulnerable eg. 1885 Election Lib had minority of 319, INP held balance of power with 86, Cons 247

• 1870 Land Act was an attempt to avoid rack rents

‘Gladstone’s policies were a complete failure 1868-86’ - P1 Agree Counter Point

• Disestablishment of Anglican Church (1869) aimed to resolve tension over Anglican Dominance (12% pop)

• Anglican church could no longer tax/tithes pop & bishops no longer in HOL

• Seen as too radical eg. G had to get Queen Victoria’s support for it

• Seen as “too little too late”

‘Gladstone’s policies 1868-86 were a complete failure’ P2 - Disagree

• Kilmainheim Treaty May 1882 seen as turning point → Parnell would end his encouragement of lawlessness in exhance for legislation cancelling arrears in rents

• Parnell thenceforward led a strictly constitutional movement & concentrated on playing off one party against another to gain a measure of legislative independence

‘Gladstone’s policies 1868-86 were a complete failure’ P2 - Disagree Counter Point

• KT followed by Phoenix Park Murders 1882 where Cavendish & Burke was murdered by Irish National Invisibles

• G also lost INP support in June 1885 perhaps as a reult of KT as Parnell was set to support the more successful party (Cons at time) → 1886 Cons 393 seats, Libs 192

‘Gladstone’s policies 1868-86 were a complete failure’ P3 Agree eg coercion, HR

• 1881 March Coercion Act empowered authorities to arrest /imprison without trial suspected oftreasonable practices/agrarian offences → Led to uproar in HOC of 41 continuous hours of debate

• 1st HR Bill (Opposed by 93 Liberal, 343-313) → Lack of concessions for Ulster but was to establish sn Irish Parliament & end of Irish rep in Westminster

• HOWEVER: Steps towards HR progress , self interested Cons/HOL delayed progress conveying problem of lack of reform to stop dominance of minority aristocratic interests

‘Gladstone’s policies 1868-86 were a complete failure’ - Conclusion

• Failed to unite party & parliament over HR

• Failure to consult —> All conveys his weak leadership & faailure to achieve Irish demands hence policies bound to fail

• Limited policies & even when embarking on HR crusade → Provoked disillusionment within party & supporters

“Gladstone’s failure to achieve HR was due to his own mistakes” - P1: Mistakes (Liberal Alienation, LU, Church Act, Land Acts, Coercion)

• Alienated mebers of own party by know many of his party were against HR, he was driven by Anglican & moral duty not shared by all radicals → Chamberlain & Hartington broke away from Gladstone due to strong feelings against concessions in Ireland

• LU weakened Liberals meaning G stuggled for support on HR by own party & had to rely on INP Support (1885 GE Libs minority of 319, INP 86, Cons 297)

• 1869 Church Act seen as “too little too late”, Catholics not as grateful

• 1881 Coercion Act

• Land Act 1870 & 1881

“Gladstone’s failure to achieve HR was due to his own mistakes” - P1: Mistakes Counter Point (Cons imperial opposition)

Cons opposed 1869 act due to ichallenging acts of Unions 1800

“Gladstone’s failure to achieve HR was due to his own mistakes” - P2 Severe oppostiion (Cons/HOL aristocratic intrests, Imperial Preference, 2nd HR Bill)

• Chamberlain Imperial Preference (colonial sec 1895-03 in Cons)

• 2nd HR bill 1893 defeated by 419-41

“Gladstone’s failure to achieve HR was due to his own mistakes” - P2 Severe oppostition counter point (Hawarden Kite leading to defeat of 1st HR bill, nothing for Ulster)

• G never made any concessions to Ulster

“Gladstone’s failure to achieve HR was due to his own mistakes” - P3 Actions of Irish Nationalists (Difficulty to appease all movements, Land League, Phoenix park murders, Kitty O’Shea)

• Phoenix Park Murder 1882

• Parnell’s scnadal 1891 with Kitty O’Shea

“Gladstone’s failure to achieve HR was due to his own mistakes” - P3 Actions of Irish Nationalists Counter Point (Imperialism VS Gladstone’s beleifs)

• Opposition stemmed mostly due to imperialism

• Gladstone had moderately opposed strong imperialism if it meant in causing Irish grievances

• Holiday in Norway made him question constitutional position of Norway vis-a-vis Sweden since they were content with being tied to their larger neighbour perhaps due to enjoying a measure of self-govt hence led his support for HR