Britain by 1763

Britain how many people by 1760?

7.5 million

London

Largest city in world - 700,000 people

Industrial revolution

1750 - 1900, industries in factories with power-driven machinery

Cities e.g. Birmingham and Manchester rapidly growing

Social situation

• Hierarchical - landowners dominated society and politics

• Nobility filled most high offices (ministerial departments, Church and army)

• Rising middle class → but not coherent → gap between great merchants and small tradespeople and craftspeople

• Bottom → agricultural and industrial labourers

George III

• 1760-1820

• Took active part in government despite Glorious Revolution → chose ministers who served him within limits

Parliament

House of Lords and House of Commons → Commons’ control of financial matters → not democratic

1761 election how many reasonably wealthy males could vote?

215,000

Other indications of Britain not being democratic

• Most of growing cities not represented in commons

• Rich landowners → determined who would stand as candidates + who elected

• Few MPs independent → ½ owed seats to patrons, nearly 1/3 held offices or honours under government and voted as gov. directed

Whig Party

• After Hanoverian succession 1714 → George I and II committed to Whig Party

• 1722-62 only 7 years when Whig Oligarchy failed to provide stable government

• Politics after 1720 → dominated first by Sir Robert Walpole, then by the Pelhams → all used government patronage to skilful effect to manage the Commons

• Late 17th century - stressed government by consent of the people, resistance against arbitrary rule, inviolability of the individual’s fundamental rights

• By 1760 had real little meaning however, less than a party and more of a broad-based political establishment many ambitious members joined Whig factions

Other Party

Tory Party - usually opposed radical change

Factionalised politics in Britain

In absence of Whig-Tory framework (with little influence of Tories and only really a few great Whig families at core of British politics) → factionalised politics, several powerful political leaders battled for control

Given Whig feuding, ministries found it hard to command majorities, constant shifting of support between factions

Lead to 1760s political instability