What factors influenced the extension of the franchise up to 1918?
In the 1850s, the people of Britain had many problems and were very dissatisfied. The total population at the time was twenty-two and a quarter million. There was also rapid social and economical change. People had moved from the rural areas to the more urban areas of the country to work in the new industrial towns which were growing up. Since these towns had to accommodate the increasing numbers of people, housing was thrown up quickly and cheaply and this led to sanitation problems and the spread of disease. People had very low life expectancy due to poor living and working conditions. People, especially the working classes were discontented and were looking for reform but they had no voice in politics and therefore no way to express themselves politically because they did not have the right to vote. Extension of the franchise would mean giving the vote to all adults in Britain, regardless of gender and social status. This however would take a number of decades, from 1832 until 1918 or even 1928. There were four major Reform Acts between 1832 and 1918. These Reform Acts happened because of the Industrial and Agricultural revolutions taking place throughout Britain during the 19th and early 20th centuries in this essay, I will explain why each of these reforms had to be introduced.
The Industrial and Agricultural revolutions brought great change to the demographics of Britain. New machines on farms meant that fewer men were needed to work the land and this left many people unemployed. Luckily, at the same time, new industrial towns were growing up in places like Manchester and Lancashire and people were needed to work in the factories. This meant people were on the move from the rural areas of the country to the more urban areas. This was a demographic change but it also had knock on effects on the parliamentary system; seats had to be redistributed to make the system fairer. The industrial revolution created a wealthier middle class and a more vocal working class. With better communication and education, people heard about new political ideas. Skilled workers felt it was their moral right to be represented in parliament. They saw education as a way forward to improve their living and working conditions. The Great Reform Act, 1832, gave the vote to men over 21 who owned or rented property worth more than £10 per year in rateable value. This meant that 7% of the population could now vote. The act did not satisfy the working classes however as only the upper and middle classes could vote. The Chartist Movement campaigned to get the vote in the 1830s- 40s but it had died out by 1848. The Great Reform Act was the first step towards democracy, but the country still had a long way to go before it could call itself a democracy.
