Social Reform and Growth of Democracy in Great Britain
YEAR
1800
NAME OF
LEGISLATION
Act of 1800
Collective bargaining
1802
1819
Factory Act
Factory Act of 1819
Child labor, women’s labor
1820-5
18231827
1824
Legal Acts
Tariff Acts
1825
1828
Labor Act
1829
1828-9
1832
Labor unions, collective bargaining
Test Act Repealed
Reform Bill of 1832
1830’s
1833
Slave Act
1833
Factory Act of 1833
1834
1844
1846
1858
New Poor Law
Factory Act
Corn Law Repeal
1864
1869
Contagious Diseases
Act
British North
America Act
Parliamentary
Reform Bill of 1867
Disestablishment Act
1870
Land Act
1870
Education Act
1867
1867
1871
ISSUE BEING RESOLVED
Catholic Emancipation
Universal suffrage
Power of the House of Lords
OUTCOME
Unlawful for labor to
“combine” in demands for
higher wages, shorter hours,
better working conditions
Protected pauper apprentices
Limited child labor in the
cotton industry
Reformed Criminal Codes
Reduced Tariffs
Repealed laws against
unlawful combinations
Modified the Combination Acts
Admitted nonconformists to
political office
Admitted Catholics to office
Eliminated rotten boroughs
[towns with small population
whose voters could be bribed]
Increased the electorate
Provided representation for
industrial towns
Whigs support reforms—changed name to Liberal Party
Tory party opposed reforms—changed name to Conservative Party
All textile workers protected under Factory Act 1819
All slaves under 6 are free; those over 6 are free in 7 years and owners
will be reimbursed
Limitations on work done by women
Children under 9 could not
and children
work in factories
Over 9 had limited hours
System of inspectors to ensure
that law was observed
Changed public relief system
Child and women’s labor
Protected women workers
Repealed tariff on grain
Universal manhood suffrage
Jews allowed to vote
Chartists demands from 1830’s
Regulating prostitution
Required medical examination
for prostitutes
Canadian Government
Collective bargaining
Disestablished Anglican Church
in Ireland
Basis for agrarian reforms in
Ireland
Basis for Compulsory
Education
Nothing done by a group is
illegal unless it is also illegal if
done by an individual
State supported public education; legalized labor unions
1872
Secret ballot
1875
Factory Act
1875
Artisans Dwelling Act
1884
Reform Bill of 1884
1885
Redistribution Bill
1886
and
1893
1905
First Home Rule Bill
1906
1911
1912
1918
Reduced workweek to 56
hours
Defined unsanitary housing,
state inspection
Universal manhood suffrage
Enfranchised rural labor and
miners; household servants;
military
Representation
Redistributed seats in House of
Commons; equal voting
districts by population
For a Separate Irish Parliament—Both Failed
Liberal Party in power-Herbert Asquinth P.M. 1908-19
Support social welfare programs=child care, old age pension, housing,
health and unemployment insurance
Fabian Society [Socialists] became Labour Party**1906-1916 Herbert Asquinth—restrictions on
strikes removed
Parliamentary
Democracy
Destroyed veto power of
Reform Bill of 1911
House of Lords—could only
delay passage of other bills
Salaries to House of Commons
Third Home Rule Bill
Franchise Act of
1918
For separate Irish Parliament—passed, but not enacted
**Now universal manhood suffrage
All males 21 years old can vote
All voting districts equal in
population
Reforms in Britain
Democracy
Working Conditions
Living Conditions
20% of male population could
vote in 1832
Factory Act of 1833
Anti-Corn Law League
pocket borough
rotten borough
Child Labor Restrictions
1870’s state supported
public education
Reform Act of 1832
1909 “progressive
income tax” and
“inheritance tax to pay for
programs
1834 Slavery Abolished in British Empire
Chartist Demands
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
universal manhood suffrage 1838
secret ballot 1872
equal voting districts 1885
salaries for members of Parliament 1911
no property qualifications for Parliament
annual general elections for Parliament
1. Find the decade in which the greatest increase in democracy is found.
2. Find the decade in which social reform made the most progress.
3. Which issue received most Parliamentary action between 1800 and 1928?
4. By what decade was unionization legal in Britain?
5. Make a generalization about the relationship of time to the progress of democracy in England between
1800-1928.