One major factor which contributed to the electoral reform was the tremendous social and economic change that occurred in Britain during the Industrial Revolution. Before the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the main source of economic wealth in Britain had been land and agriculture. As the largest landowners the aristocracy were the wealthiest members of society and they dominated the House of Lords. They also dominated the electoral system, with no secret ballot and very small electorates, they were able to ‘buy’ seats and thus have a dominant role in the House of Commons. According to Patrick Colquhoun, in 1815 the aristocracy comprised only 53,000 out of an estimated population of 20 million.
With the Industrial Revolution the industrial middle class, for example factory owners and merchants, and the industrial working class, for example factory workers, grew rapidly in number. As these social classes gained increased economic wealth, they also wished to gain political power through securing access to the political system through the electoral system.
Throughout the period 1815-30, parliamentary reform was an important political issue among radical elements in society. By 1830, it was an important issue within the Whig Party, which regarded the unreformed electoral as favouring the Tory Party. Due to a split in the Tory Party and fear of rioting and unrest, the Whig government was able to pass the Great Reform Act of 1832. Although regarded at the time as a final settlement in the electoral system, it in fact paved the way for moves towards further reform. In 1835, the electoral system fro local government in towns was reformed and the size of the electorate was increased dramatically. It also provided the focus for the first working-class political movement, Chartism, which from 1836 to 1850 demanded major parliamentary reform.
There is evidence to suggest that many of the reform acts were introduced because of radical pressure. For example a major factor in Disraeli’s introduction of the Second Reform Act was due to radical pressure from reform unions and reform leagues. Furthermore demand from the unenfranchised and radical pressure contributed to Gladstone introducing the Third Reform Act. The rise of trade unions and workers strikes, for example the London Dockers strike of 1889, led to further pressure for reform. However this external pressure was just one of many factors which affected the extension of the franchise during the period 1815-1914.
Between 1865 and 1867, extra parliamentary agitation helped force an extension of the franchise. The 1867 Reform Act gave the franchise to artisans and in 1884 agricultural labourers were added.
These changes meant that Britain was able to modernise its electoral system peacefully. The terms of the 1832, 1867 and 1884 Reform Acts were phrased in such a way as to allow a specific social class to enter the political process. In 1832 it was the industrial middle class, in 1867 the skilled working class and in 1884 the agricultural worker.