1. 24.1 Liberal Reforms in Great Britian & Its Empire
1800s s

2. Liberalism is Born Industrial Revolution
Lots of money and power to Great Britain
Lots of problems and social inequalities
Belief that Enlightenment ideas and French Revolution ideas are correct
Belief gov’t must support/protect individual rights & civil liberties of individuals = liberalism

3. Liberalists are active!
Voting
as you know, since 1688 & the Glorious Revolution, Parliment (not the monarchy) ruled Great Britain.
Parliment made up of House of Lords and House of Commons
House of Commons was supposed to represent all British people
but, there were lots of restrictions on right to vote and right to hold office

4. Liberalists are active!
Voting
voting was in the open (that is bad)
districts were not based on changes in population (that is bad)
only men who owned lots of $ could be elected into House of Commons (that is bad)
no Jews, Catholics, etc. could hold political office (that is bad)

5. Liberalists are active!
Voting
voters protest - those in power don’t want to reform or else it will end up like (gasp).... French Revolution!
1829 Catholic Emancipation Act allows Catholics to serve in Parliment (if they recognize Protestantism is the religion of England

6. Liberalists are active!
Voting
1832 Reform Bill -
took seats in House of Commons from less populated areas and gave to industrial areas
reduced property restrictions so now more people could vote
middle class now had a voice in Great Britain’s gov’t and in Parliment

7. Liberalists are active!
Voting
resulted in birth of 2 major political parties
Liberal Party vs Conservative Party

8. Liberalists are active!
Social and Economic Change
Factory Act reformed working conditions of women and children
1833 Slavery abolished - no more slavery in any British colony
1833 Public Education - beginnings of free public education
1846 Corn Laws Repealed- lowered taxes on corn - *first step towards free trade
Thanks to the liberal party!

9. Disraeli and Gladstone

10. Disraeli
Queen Victoria and Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (Conservative) -
now secret voting ballot
all men can vote (no more property requirements)
salaries for members of Parliment so now workers can afford to enter politics

11. Disraeli
Queen Victoria and Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (Conservative) -
got control of Suez Canal
secured control of India for Great Britain

12. Gladstone
Queen Victoria and Prime Minister William Gladstone (Liberal)
Education Act of public education for all children
begin use of secret ballot
redrew districts so more accurately represent population

13. Gladstone
Queen Victoria and Prime Minister William Gladstone (Liberal)
Failed on “Irish Question”
1801 Act of Union made Ireland part of Great Britain but they did not have representation in Parliment
policies caused bad economics in Ireland
famine
massive migration to US

14. Reforms of Early 1900s
1905 Liberal Party born in England. Want social reform Want old age pensions, health insurance, unemployment insurance.
need to tax the wealthy more to pay for this
Parliment Act of took away right of veto from House of Lords. Taxes raised. Some programs created

15. Reforms of Early 1900s
Women’s suffrage - right to vote. Emmeline Pankurst began the mov’t
Right to vote won after World War I