The unreformed system in 1780
Influence of Crown and Aristocracy
Crown
Aristocracy
Redistribution and Conduct of elections
Distribution
Elections
Political Parties
Franchise
King appointed PMs and cabinet ministers and influenced policy making
Nevertheless had to collaboratively work with popular figures in parliament and maintain mutual support.
Owned 1/2th of agricultural land
50% of MPs owed their seats to them.
House of Lords positions were hereditary.
Held highest positions in Church, Armed Services, Civil Services and Judiciary.
County
Borough
Inconsistent and non-uniform
Men who owned property worth 40 shillings (£2 could vote)
Scot and Lot boroughs
Adult males who paid (local) 'Scot and Lot' taxes could vote.
Potswalloper Boroughs
Men who owned a house (had a family and could boil a pot) could vote.
Corporation Boroughs
Burgage Boroughs
Freeman boroughs
Members of local town councils (corporations) could vote.
Men who owned burgages (ancient plots of land and/or other property) could vote.
Those granted with the title of 'freeman' could vote, with many inheriting this from their parents.
Only 500k/10 million could vote (5% of country / 10% of men)
Represented similar groups and so were unrepresentative.
Tories and Whigs were both led by Anglicans and dominated by landowning, aristocratic families.
Tories opposed reform and Whigs only began demanding parliamentary reform during the 1820s.
County seats were shires located in rural areas with small number of electors.
Borough constituencies were created during pre-industrial times (King selected certain towns and ports) and thus industrial cities such as Manchester and Leeds had no seats.
82 country seats in England
1830 elections in Wales wasn't contested
Pocket Boroughs
Business/Landowners could influence elections using leverage
Some votes were sold for as much as £10
Rotten Boroughs
50 constituencies with less than 50 voters each
Allowed for the rise of prominent young individuals such as Robert Peel.
Could be bought out by powerful patrons e.g. Gatton was sold for £90,000 in 1802.
Aristocrats would sometimes divide constituencies and share seats.
25% of county electors were influenced by landlords.
'treating' - bribery through food, drink, travel incentives