Political Parties by 1851

Whigs - ideology

1. what did they believe about the monarch’s power?

2. what did they believe about the franchise?

1. it should be limited by parliament

2. limited franchise with power lying with traditional landowning elite

Whigs - ideology

1. what were they against in terms of religion?

2. what ideas did they promote?

1. against any Catholic Emancipation

2. Protestant supremacy

Whigs - ideology

1. what economic ideology did they support? (2)

2. who was this endorsed by? (2)

3. what did the support encourage them to do? (2)

1. economic liberalisation + free trade

2. bankers + merchants

3. to expand the franchise in 1832 + include some middle classes

Whigs - policies

what are 2 policies that the Whigs were responsible for + when?

• abolishment of slavery in Britain (1883)

• Poor Amendment Act (1834)

Whigs - policies

1. when did the Whigs become more dominant?

2. why?

1. late 1830s + early 1840s

2. due to the rise of divisions among the Tories over Free Trade

Whigs - policies

1. when did the Whigs officially switch to supporting Free Trade?

2. why?

1. 1845

2. to win over middle-class voters

Conservatives

which party did they emerge from?

the Tory party

Conservatives - ideology

1. why did they stop short on radical reform?

2. what religious ideology was Peel committed to?

3. how did this benefit the Catholics? (2)

1. Peel felt it might cause agitation

2. Catholic emancipation

3. removed restrictions put in place on Catholics since reformation + enabled them to take part in politics

Conservatives - ideology

what did they believe about the monarch?

people had a duty to obey the monarch

Conservatives - ideology

what did they believe in in terms of trade? (2)

believed in protection of trade + tariffs on agricultural good to protect their landed interests

who mainly supported the conservatives?

traditional smaller aristocrat families

radicals

what were their aims?

to deliver political reforms

radicals - policies

what were 2 of their policies?

• lowering taxation

• abolition of slavery in British Empire

radicals

what were the radicals mainly built of?

middle-class campaigners

radicals

1. what did they praise the 1832 reform act for?

2. what did they criticise it for?

1. praised for its removal of rotten boroughs

2. criticised for not enfranchising enough of society

radicals

why was it hard to say that they were a political party? (3)

lacked formal organisation/leadership/official ideology

radicals

1. what is it better to say the radicals were rather than a political party?

2. what is an example of one of the individuals?

1. group of individuals criticising existing system

2. John Bright

Peelites

1. who founded the peelites?

2. who were 2 key figures of the peelites?

1. Sir Robert Peel

2. Sir Robert Peel, William Gladstone

Peelites - ideology

1. who'se policies did it follow?

2. what did they advocate for? (3)

1. Sir Robert Peel’s free trade policies

2. economic liberalism, efficient government + moderate reform

Peelites

what were their opinions on democracy?

did not fully support democracy but wanted industrial areas better represented

peelites

1. what policy did they help pass?

2. what happened to the party after Peel’s death?

1. Repeal of the Corn Laws (1846)

2. the party lacked strong identity/organisation after Peel’s death

Irish parliamentary party - ideology

1. what issue did they focus on?

2. what did they oppose?

3. what did they advocate for? (2)

1. Home Rule

2. opposed excessive English control over Irish affairs

3. advocated for Catholic rights + tenant farmer protections

Irish parliamentary party

1. what policy did they help pass?

2. what did they lack + why?

1. Catholic Emancipation

2. lacked unity → many Irish MPs sided with Whigs/Radicals instead of forming a strong party

successes in working together

1. which 3 parties occasionally cooperated?

2. what did they cooperate on? (2)

1. Whigs, Peelites + Radicals

2. free trade + moderate reform

successes in working together

why did the conservatives struggle to work together?

due to their split over economic policy

successes in working together

which 2 parties particularly had tensions + why?

radicals (wanted democracy) + Whigs (wanted controlled reform)