Britain’s era of reform is often depicted as a slow but steady and deliberate progression towards democracy. The truth, however, is far more complicated and intriguing than that. The architects of British democracy were not democrats themselves, and none of the three great Reform Acts were designed with democracy firmly in mind. The great age of reform actually had more to do with pragmatism than principle.
This course will therefore explore and explain the real motives and methods that shaped each one of the acts, as well as consider each one’s content, impact and implications. In doing so, it will also seek to reflect on the significance of Britain’s uncodified and ‘organic’ constitution, which has evolved more often than not by reacting to current issues rather than pursuing future ideals, and which enabled Britain to progress via reform rather than revolution.
Topics will include the intellectual background to the emergence of a reform movement; the impact of public pressure on the political establishment (including Peterloo, ‘The Days of May,’ Chartism and the nascent women’s suffrage movement); the key figures for and against electoral change; the backward-looking nature of the 1832 act; the unpredictable and highly politicised progression of the 1867 act; and the highly compromised character of the 1884 act; as well as the legacy of this era for Britain’s subsequent political development.
Learning outcomes
- To acquire sound and solid knowledge of the key ideas, figures and details relating to the three Reform Acts;
- To gain a clearer understanding of the history and distinctive character of British democracy;
- To appreciate more fully the continuing debates concerning the form and future of the British political system.
