1. Democratic Reform in Britain
Chapter 8.1

2. Focus Question
How did political reform gradually expand suffrage and make British Parliament more democratic in the 1800’s?

3. Traditional Government
Const. monarchy since -1662
A Severely Limited Democracy
In the early 1800s, vote limited to men with substantial property
Women could not vote at all; upper classes (5%) run the government

4. Democratic Progress
The Enlightenment, industrialization, and political revolutions encouraged political reform in Great Britain
The increase in education during industrialization forced a change in gov’t.
Working class, women, & colonists all wanted a voice in gov’t
British land owners feared rebellion so they decided to share the power

5. Britain Enacts Reforms
The Reform Bill of 1832
• 1832 bill gives middle class suffrage (the right to vote)
• gave urban areas representation in Parliament
Also gives thriving new industrial cities more representation

6. Reforms Chartist Movement
Chartist movement—expands suffrage and reform politics
Suffrage for all men, secret vote,
Parliamentary reforms
no land requirement
salaries for Members of Parliament
Parliament at first rejects, but eventually adopts, Chartist goals

7. The Victorian Age
Queen Victoria—rules for 64 years at height of British power
Loses power to Parliament, especially House of Commons
Government run almost completely by prime minister, cabinet