To What Extent Does the Reform Act of 1832 Deserve Its Title “Great”?

The title, “great” is reserved for a select few characters and documents in history. Alfred earned his through establishing stable change, peace and improvement. So too the Magna Carta, which brought about greater justice and freedom for the common man and limited royal influence. In the same ways, the reform act of 1832 warranted the title. It was by no means a revolutionary measure, nor “the final solution of a great constitutional question” as Russell had put it, but both symbolically and physically, it spelt change for Britain. This in itself showed its greatness – despite Pitt having attempted reform in the 1780s, and the issue having repeatedly returned to parliament, no reform had been achieved. The fact that finally after so much time and so much fight, a reform measure had been brought in, it did not so much matter what was contained in the act, or if it benefited anyone. The symbolic victory and relief that ‘reform had begun’ was enough for most people to perceive it as “great”. The symbolic victory would not have been enough for long though; for the reform act to be considered “great”, it would have to be a step towards a fairer, more democratic government. In addition to this, it would have been imperative for it not to worsen the common man’s situation. Some historians have argued that reform was brought in by the Whigs purely as a political move to secure more seats; if this was the primary motivation it would detract from the “greatness” of the act. In essence, the reform act was “great”. In the short term, it avoided bloody revolution, strengthened and stabilised the current social and political situation and granted a fairer and more democratic system. In the long term, it did open Peel’s feared “door” of reform that the Tories were unable to close (reform continued and advanced), but it did so in a measured, safe and gradual way so as to preserve tradition, maintain peace, and ensure the continued development of a secure, fair and benevolent

References: Evans, Eric J. The Great Reform Act of 1832 Pearce, Edward. Reform!