The rivalry between Gladstone and Disraeli
The rivalry between Gladstone and Disraeli had started to develop in Peel's second administration of 1841 - 1946. Gladstone remained loyal to Peel over the repeal of the Corn Laws and followed him out of the conservative party. This was very different to what Disraeli did, which was to lead the attacks on Peel and he was rewarded for this by being given a place on the Conservative front bench. Gladstone and Disraeli were both very different men both in their ideals of morality and politics. Their backgrounds could not be more different, Gladstone, having been educated at Eton went on to Oxford and married into an aristocratic family. He was also born into a wealthy family himself and he had very Christian morals, (this leading to much of his dislike of Disraeli). However, Disraeli came from a Jewish background and he did not go to university. Unlike Gladstone, Disraeli had a very colourful early life and was very outgoing and charming. He was also favoured by queen Victoria.
Item 1 is a Historian's view of the relationship between Gladstone and Disraeli. This source tells us how Gladstone believed Disraeli to be corrupt and extravagant. It is easy to see that if this is how Gladstone viewed Disraeli then there were bound to be problems, Gladstone was totally against corruption and if we are to believe the evidence in the source, this was one of the main reasons for his dislike of Disraeli. According to the source Disraeli had "corrupted his party until it was o longer capable of speaking with the voice of true conservatism". Gladstone also disliked his opponents view on foreign policy; he was weary of the expansion of the British Empire, to which Gladstone was very much for, on the grounds of morality. Gladstone also did not like the way on which Disraeli spent public money, he could think of much better ways for the money to be spent in Britain itself rather than on troops in other countries and jewels for the queen. We can see this evident dislike in Item 1 where Gladstone is reported as believing "Disraeli had also tried to corrupt the public by appealing to their patriotic feelings, encouraging reckless imperialist adventures and being extravagant in his public spending". It must also be said that in this item there is a certain air of respect in Gladstone's tone when he talks of Disraeli, he recognises Disraeli as having "mastered the baser arts of politics but did not have the moral vision or intellectual integrity statesmen need to make good use of power". This source deals much more with the political side of their rivalry, such as their disagreement over morality in politics, (for example, Gladstone disagreed with the way Disraeli went about his "imperialistic adventures"), than the second item which talks much more about their personal differences. Item 2 is also a historian's assessment but this source takes the view that Gladstone had much more respect and political admiration for Disraeli than the pervious source portrays. This source says that Gladstone, after Disraeli's death, commented on how, even though the two men were not friends and often disagreed over policy and practise, he was not blind to Disraeli's "extraordinary powers" and "remarkable qualities". This source gives us the impression that the two men, even though there were many political differences and rivalries between them, did not actually feel any personal hatred towards each other. Gladstone had respect for Disraeli, for he saw him as being a good adversary and after his death he believed that there had been no greater man oppose him. Overall the rivalry developed early in their political relationship and although it was constantly growing as time went on, as did Gladstone's respect and discreet admiration for Disraeli as a political opponent. Much of their rivalry was blown out proportion, according to Gladstone. In item 2, he says, about Disraeli "whose rival some call me, much against my will or intention". After Disraeli's death, Gladstone thought it to be rather touching that Disraeli had been to adamant that he was to be buried next to his wife; this was due to Gladstone strong moral values and his view on the importance of the family. Item 3 is a cartoon, published in "Punch" magazine on 10 August 1878. it shows Gladstone and Disraeli as schoolboys throwing mud at each other. This cartoon gives us the impression that these two men were behaving like schoolboys which leads us to believe their rivalry was not too serious and was more likely to be found in a school playground than in the House of Commons. The two men often had "childish" disputes, once having an argument over furniture and robes.
The rivalry between Gladstone and Disraeli had started to develop in Peel's second administration of 1841 - 1946. Gladstone remained loyal to Peel over the repeal of the Corn Laws and followed him out of the conservative party. This was very different to what Disraeli did, which was to lead the attacks on Peel and he was rewarded for this by being given a place on the Conservative front bench. Gladstone and Disraeli were both very different men both in their ideals of morality and politics. Their backgrounds could not be more different, Gladstone, having been educated at Eton went on to Oxford and married into an aristocratic family. He was also born into a wealthy family himself and he had very Christian morals, (this leading to much of his dislike of Disraeli). However, Disraeli came from a Jewish background and he did not go to university. Unlike Gladstone, Disraeli had a very colourful early life and was very outgoing and charming. He was also favoured by queen Victoria.
Item 1 is a Historian's view of the relationship between Gladstone and Disraeli. This source tells us how Gladstone believed Disraeli to be corrupt and extravagant. It is easy to see that if this is how Gladstone viewed Disraeli then there were bound to be problems, Gladstone was totally against corruption and if we are to believe the evidence in the source, this was one of the main reasons for his dislike of Disraeli. According to the source Disraeli had "corrupted his party until it was o longer capable of speaking with the voice of true conservatism". Gladstone also disliked his opponents view on foreign policy; he was weary of the expansion of the British Empire, to which Gladstone was very much for, on the grounds of morality. Gladstone also did not like the way on which Disraeli spent public money, he could think of much better ways for the money to be spent in Britain itself rather than on troops in other countries and jewels for the queen. We can see this evident dislike in Item 1 where Gladstone is reported as believing "Disraeli had also tried to corrupt the public by appealing to their patriotic feelings, encouraging reckless imperialist adventures and being extravagant in his public spending". It must also be said that in this item there is a certain air of respect in Gladstone's tone when he talks of Disraeli, he recognises Disraeli as having "mastered the baser arts of politics but did not have the moral vision or intellectual integrity statesmen need to make good use of power". This source deals much more with the political side of their rivalry, such as their disagreement over morality in politics, (for example, Gladstone disagreed with the way Disraeli went about his "imperialistic adventures"), than the second item which talks much more about their personal differences. Item 2 is also a historian's assessment but this source takes the view that Gladstone had much more respect and political admiration for Disraeli than the pervious source portrays. This source says that Gladstone, after Disraeli's death, commented on how, even though the two men were not friends and often disagreed over policy and practise, he was not blind to Disraeli's "extraordinary powers" and "remarkable qualities". This source gives us the impression that the two men, even though there were many political differences and rivalries between them, did not actually feel any personal hatred towards each other. Gladstone had respect for Disraeli, for he saw him as being a good adversary and after his death he believed that there had been no greater man oppose him. Overall the rivalry developed early in their political relationship and although it was constantly growing as time went on, as did Gladstone's respect and discreet admiration for Disraeli as a political opponent. Much of their rivalry was blown out proportion, according to Gladstone. In item 2, he says, about Disraeli "whose rival some call me, much against my will or intention". After Disraeli's death, Gladstone thought it to be rather touching that Disraeli had been to adamant that he was to be buried next to his wife; this was due to Gladstone strong moral values and his view on the importance of the family. Item 3 is a cartoon, published in "Punch" magazine on 10 August 1878. it shows Gladstone and Disraeli as schoolboys throwing mud at each other. This cartoon gives us the impression that these two men were behaving like schoolboys which leads us to believe their rivalry was not too serious and was more likely to be found in a school playground than in the House of Commons. The two men often had "childish" disputes, once having an argument over furniture and robes.
