industrialisation

• Industrialisation


  The process of developing industry on a large scale
• How was Britain governed how did democracy and political organisations change + develop?

  1. Political power was a balance between king and parliament

  2. Patronage gave the king considerable political influence

  3. King bound under 1689 Bill of Rights to govern according to statutes in Parliament

  4. Monarch influenced general policy and could summon + dissolve parliaments

  5. Monarch financially dependent on Parliament, which would grant funds annually through the civil list

  6. Monarch had power to veto legislations, but unlikely to do so

  7. Commons made up of several different factions and interest groups, made it difficult to achieve control of a stable majority

  8. Late 18th century saw the growth of parties and this strengthened the commons
• Many debate if George III (1760-1820) attempted to restore a politically active monarchy
• In 1783, 220 peers sat in lords
• In 1783, the commons comprised of 558 elected members
• In 1783, 250,000 men had the right to vote, population 6 million
• The number of voters as a percentage of the population was falling
• 40 shilling freeholders often swayed in their voting by a dominant landowner
• In 1783, Scotland was severely underrepresented, 45 Scottish MPs had a seat in the Commons and 16 representative Scottish peers sat in the Lords
• In 1783, the electorate numbered 4500 out of a population of 1.6 million
• Old Sarum was a rotten borough with 11 eligible voters but still sent 2 MPs to parliament
• 152 MPs came from constituencies with less than 100 voters
• the first railway line was built between Liverpool and Manchester
• railways were important because they allowed goods to be transported quickly, cheaply and safely over long distances
• in 1830, there were only 9 miles of rail track in Britain
• by 1840, there were 2000 miles of rail track in Britain
• by 1846, there were 7000 miles of rail track in Britain
• railway companies had their own banks and insurance schemes
• railway companies employed thousands of people as engineers, builders, station masters etc.
• Whigs


  Political, economic beliefs and religious factions and interests who opposed and regrouped constantly, came from landed classes and aristocracy and wished to maintain the status quo, believed that all power should be with the people (or the people's representative, parliament) without the monarchs interference, believed in religious freedom for dissenters
• Tories


  Political, economic beliefs and religious factions and interests who opposed and regrouped constantly, came from landed classes and aristocracy and wished to maintain the status quo, believed that power lay with the monarch and that the title should be passed down, were hostile towards Catholics, radicals and dissenters
• Up until 1783, the Whigs led the political scene
• Whigs were forced into opposition by George Ill when he gave his support to Pitt
• Pitt


  Defined himself as an independent Whig, is regarded as the first Tory due to his Tory attitudes such as wishing to work with the monarch and opposing the development of a partisan political system, often criticised the Whig party as being too narrow as their political power was controlled by a Whig oligarchy
• After Pitt became PM, there was a gradual redefinition of the term Tory, and by the close of Pitts period in office in 1806, the supremacy of the whigs had been broken
• Whigs would stay mostly in opposition until the 1830s
• Pitt's relationship with the king


  Pitt entered The commons at the age of 21 in 1781 and was chosen within three years to be PM, remained continuously loyal to the king which he needed after the political crisis of 1782, the king needed someone he could trust to restore national confidence, was determined to exercise his right to choose ministers to avoid public humiliation, could no longer trust Lord north and Pitt had made a strong impression as chancellor of the exchequer
• Pitt's position was weak, he had no following in the commons and was faced with a large majority opposition (Fox + his friends), couldn't pass laws due to having a cabinet made up of Lords
• Fox + friends had a majority but when Pitt was chosen he furiously spoke out against the king losing him vital support, King called election after 3 years (normally 7) called in patronage and influenced boroughs, 160 of fox's followers lost their seat, Pitt returned to the commons with a large majority
• Pitt had utilised the constitution to manoeuvre into power with the King's support
• In 1783, 70% of MPs came from parliamentary families
• Administrative reforms under Pitt

  1. Abolish sinecure offices

  2. Devised a new budgeting scheme

  3. Created a consolidated fund at the Bank of England

  4. Established an order office to oversee public expenditure

  5. Abolished the system of free post for MPs

  6. Set up central stage department for public departments

  7. Raised government loans by public tender

  8. Re-organised the cabinet and established the prime minister's office
• The result of Pitt's administrative reforms was to create a much more effective administration, cut duplication of labour, bring order and method into government business, and cut unnecessary expenditure
• Pitt dies


  1806
• Pitt was most likely due for a defeat in common anyway, as he lost his grip on government matters
• Ministry of all talents

  The next government after Pitt, led by Lord Grenville
• Fox was included as Foreign Secretary, but when he died, a large slice of the governments talent went with him
• An important measure achieved was the abolition of the slave trade (1807), first attempted by Pitt in 1788, but refused by the Lords
• Grenville tried to raise the issue of Catholic emancipation, but the king refused to allow any concession to Catholics, and therefore, Grenville resigned
• Grenville was liberal minded and principled, but he was unsuccessful as a war leader