To what extent was the 1832 Great Reform Act introduced due to fear of revolution?

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To what extent was the 1832 Great Reform Act introduced due to 'fear of revolution'?

The Great Reform Act' of 1832 was a turning point in modern Britain and has been seen by many historians as the most important piece of legislation passed in the nineteenth century. During this essay, I will discuss the central issues raised by the interpretation of whether the Great Reform Act was introduced due to 'fear of revolution' or was it the result of other internal or external factors.

A motivation for reform was a fear of revolution brought about as a result of increasing unrest in Britain during 1831-32. T.B Macaulay, a Whig MP said that 'We drive over to the side of revolution those whom we shut out from power.' The idea was that including the middle class would ally them with the upper class and exclude the working class. Without the power and support of the middle class, the working class would not be able to carry out a successful revolution.

While the Whigs genuinely believed that Britain was on the brink of a revolution, historians have been divided on the subject for a number of decades. The