How successful was Peel's Ministry 1841-1846?

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How successful was Peel’s Ministry 1841-1846?

Peel’s ministry essentially benefited the nation as a whole, which would suggest that Peel’s ministry was very successful. However, in doing so he split the party we had worked so hard to bring together. Therefore when considering whether his ministry was a success or not it has to be assessed whether a ministry has to primarily look after the party’s interests or the nations. Most historians including the likes of Donald Read take the view that the nation’s interests should be the priority, and this is why Peel’s ministry is considered successful. Despite diluting some of the ‘Traditional Tory’ views which agitated the landowners, and eventually splitting the party through the ‘Repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846’ Peel’s ministry improved the living and working conditions of the average person. He managed to do this most importantly through his financial reforms which were very successful, as well as his social reforms. Peel aimed to be fairer to the poor, although at some expense of the landowners. The decline of radical groups within Britain though out Peel’s ministry marked its success, and although he did carry out a number of unsuccessful polices in Ireland, he critically prevented them from leaving the Union through good work in 1843.

        Peel’s financial reforms were the most important reasons for its success despite their unpopularity in some sections of the party. In 1941 he inherited £7million of debt from the Whig government before him, but through a selection of significant reforms, most notably the ‘1842 Budget’ he was able to boast a £5million surplus by the end of 1865. Much of the financial reform that Peel’s ministry passed could be considered as social reform too, which was very important in improving the conditions for people in Britain. The ‘1842 Budget’ aimed to appeal to the rich through a sense of justice and self preservation, at the same time as showing the poor there was a fairer system. Peel boldly reintroduced income tax for 3years which affected those with annual incomes of £150 or more. This was hugely unpopular with the landowners, and therefore a great section of his parties support base however, it was greatly successful and despite being expected to raise 3-4 million a year it actually raised £5million. The removal of duties on 600 goods, and the reduction on 500 more, considerably reduced the cost of living for the majority of the British population. It was also a step towards free trade, an issue which Peel had been greatly influenced by a free trade philosopher, Adam Smith, who argued the fewer restrictions, the better the economy would become. Peel also passed reform in 1844 with the ‘Bank Charter Act’ creating a more efficient banking system on which the government could trust and rely, as well as the ‘Companies Act’ which monitored company’s progress and improved the nation’s financial health.

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        Some historians have accused Peel about being too focused on his financial policies, however throughout his ministry he made genuine attempts to improve the conditions for workers, especially in mines and factories. Peel had always shown sympathy for the less-well off, and even early in his career in 1829 he had shown this through some of his reforms. His government set up of the ‘National Relief Fund’ in 1841 to investigate the conditions for workers in growing industrial cities in addition to the pressure from leading figures like Lord Ashley, which prompted social reform. The reforms he made were not ...

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