1. Reform Bill of 1832
Great Britain

2. Reform Bill of 1832
Early 19th century → British Parliament was far from democratic and NOT representative of the population
House of Lords
Hereditary nobility
Peers (noblemen) created by the king
Bishops of the Church of England
House of Commons
Prosperous country gentlemen
Wealthy business and professional men
Members from “rotten boroughs” and “pocket boroughs”

3. Reform Bill of 1832 Rotten boroughs Pocket boroughs
Electoral districts with very small populations
Voters were easily bribed or influenced
Pocket boroughs
Electoral districts where representatives were “selected” by noble landowners
New industrial cities had no representatives
Constituency boundaries had not been changed since 1660

4. Reform Bill of 1832
In 1830 the Whig ministry led by Earl Grey introduced “an act to amend the representation of the people of England and Wales”
Two broad goals:
Abolish rotten boroughs
Increase number of voters in England and Wales by about 50%

5. Reform Bill of 1832
Bill was initially rejected by the House of Commons
A new election was held and the bill was passed in the House of Commons, but rejected in the House of Lords
Riots broke out in several cities
Great Reform Bill was passed in 1832 with the help of King William IV
He created enough new peers in the House of Lords to assure passage of a third reform bill

6. Reform Bill of 1832 Provisions:
Increased number of voters by about 50%
*About 12% of adult men
Extended the right to vote to middle-class men and some substantial farmers
*Property qualifications continued to bar many from voting, however
Deprived rotten and pocket boroughs of their seats in the House of Commons
New industrial areas gained representation

7. Reform Bill of 1832 Made revolution in Great Britain unnecessary
Provided for more diversity in representation
Represented the beginning of the shift in political power from the landed aristocracy to the middle class
Laid the groundwork for further reforms