Democracy in Britain
“By 1928, the essentials of democracy had been achieved”. How far would you agree?
Democracy, the ideal that all the citizens of a nation determine together the laws and actions of their state: a government ‘for the people, of the people and by the people’, was necessary in Britain, as Aristotle once said, ‘man is by nature a political animal’. Franchise is the right to be able to vote and in 1830, only one out of ten adult males could vote; by 1832 it was a privilege of the landed elite and by 1928 it was a right of all eligible adults (over the age of 21). By 1928, Britain was almost democratic but not entirely so. Before 1850, Britain had a rule of aristocracy, there was great political influence from the elite and the privileged and extreme corruption, as Hogarth illustrated in his ‘Four Prints’ and Dickens in ‘Pickwick Papers’ but the 1789 French Revolution and the American Revolution caused political tension and put pressure on the government to reform. From 1851 – 1951 Britain evolved into modern democracy but this era of democratic politics was also inaugurated by the four landmark 1832, 1867 and 1884 Reform Acts which established the ‘one man, one vote’ mentality. Further democratisation was instigated by a popular government; universal suffrage; representative constituencies; the secret ballot and reformed electoral practices; paid MPs; state provided schooling which educated the working class and allowed them a political say; a constitutional monarchy and restricting the given rights of the upper and middle classes as well as reducing the power of the House of Lords and the Monarchy. The Age of Oligarchy gave way to the Age of democracy as the ‘two party system’ developed from 1867 to 1902 and the essentials of democracy were achieved by 1928 as both men and women could vote; there was a virtual elimination of corruption; the privileged had much less power and the constituencies were better represented. However, Britain was not fully democratic by 1928
Democracy, the ideal that all the citizens of a nation determine together the laws and actions of their state: a government ‘for the people, of the people and by the people’, was necessary in Britain, as Aristotle once said, ‘man is by nature a political animal’. Franchise is the right to be able to vote and in 1830, only one out of ten adult males could vote; by 1832 it was a privilege of the landed elite and by 1928 it was a right of all eligible adults (over the age of 21). By 1928, Britain was almost democratic but not entirely so. Before 1850, Britain had a rule of aristocracy, there was great political influence from the elite and the privileged and extreme corruption, as Hogarth illustrated in his ‘Four Prints’ and Dickens in ‘Pickwick Papers’ but the 1789 French Revolution and the American Revolution caused political tension and put pressure on the government to reform. From 1851 – 1951 Britain evolved into modern democracy but this era of democratic politics was also inaugurated by the four landmark 1832, 1867 and 1884 Reform Acts which established the ‘one man, one vote’ mentality. Further democratisation was instigated by a popular government; universal suffrage; representative constituencies; the secret ballot and reformed electoral practices; paid MPs; state provided schooling which educated the working class and allowed them a political say; a constitutional monarchy and restricting the given rights of the upper and middle classes as well as reducing the power of the House of Lords and the Monarchy. The Age of Oligarchy gave way to the Age of democracy as the ‘two party system’ developed from 1867 to 1902 and the essentials of democracy were achieved by 1928 as both men and women could vote; there was a virtual elimination of corruption; the privileged had much less power and the constituencies were better represented. However, Britain was not fully democratic by 1928