'The issue of Home Rule was the most important factor for the divisions and weaknesses in the Liberal Party in the late 19th Century.' To what extent do you agree with the statement?

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b) Use Sources A, B and C and your own knowledge.

‘The issue of Home Rule was the most important factor for the divisions and weaknesses in the Liberal Party in the late 19th Century.’

To what extent do you agree with the statement?

In many instances in the political system in Britain in the mid 19th Century, Ireland was always a country that had probed debate and need for change. Towards the 1880s, Home Rule came into play as key figures such as Gladstone began to believe that major reforms were still necessary in Ireland. Home Rule meant having a parliament and administration elected by Irish people to run Ireland’s home affairs. The British government would still manage external matters, such as foreign relations, defence and trade, and have sovereignty over Ireland. Home Rule therefore fell short of independence. In the 19th Century most Irish people apparently supported the demand for Home Rule, but demands for fuller independence began to grow as the years progressed. As this demand was on an increase, the liberals began displaying tensions within the party as a result of Home Rule but also because of other pressing matters that had an influence in the weaknesses that eventually divided the Liberal party.

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The proposition of Home Rule and Ireland in the 19th Century had always been one of the main reasons why divisions in the liberal party occurred. For one, Gladstone believed in the welfare of the people where necessary in Ireland because of ‘ineffective coercion’ (Source A). Even though it was not always in Gladstone’s nature to support home rule and he did have a change of heart, the importance was that Gladstone was determined to support it at any cost. As a result of Gladstone’s determination, whatever Gladstone used to propose, it was rejected by many people in the liberal ...

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