Chapter 5: The Development of British Democracy

What is Democracy?

Democracy is a system of government where the entire adult population participates in governance, either through direct voting on issues or by selecting representatives to act on their behalf.

Early 19th Century Britain

At the start of the 1800s, Britain was not democratic in the modern sense:

Parliamentary elections existed, but voting was severely restricted
Only men aged 21 and over who owned a specified amount of property could vote
Women could not vote at all
Many parliamentary seats were controlled by wealthy landowners ("rotten boroughs")

The Chartist Movement (1830s--1840s)

The Chartists were a reform group who campaigned for six specific democratic changes:

Universal male suffrage (the right of every man to vote)
Annual parliamentary elections
Electoral equality across regions (equal-sized constituencies)
Secret ballot (so voters could not be intimidated)
Removal of property requirements for standing as an MP
Payment for Members of Parliament (so ordinary people could afford to serve)

Although the Chartists were initially unsuccessful, most of their demands were eventually adopted into law.

Timeline of Electoral Reform

| Year | Reform | |------|--------| | 1832 | Great Reform Act -- extended voting rights and reduced rotten boroughs | | 1867 | Second Reform Act -- further extended the franchise to more working men | | 1872 | Secret Ballot Act -- introduced secret voting | | 1918 | Women over 30 gained the right to vote; all men over 21 could vote | | 1928 | Equal Franchise Act -- all men and women aged 21 and over could vote | | 1969 | Voting age reduced to 18 for both men and women |

The Suffragettes

The campaign for women's suffrage (the right to vote) was a major democratic struggle:

Emmeline Pankhurst founded the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU)
Suffragettes used increasingly militant tactics including protests, hunger strikes, and civil disobedience
Women over 30 gained the vote in 1918, partly in recognition of women's contributions during the First World War
Full equal voting rights were achieved in 1928

Key Principles of British Democracy Today

Universal suffrage -- all citizens aged 18 and over can vote
Free and fair elections -- conducted by secret ballot
Parliamentary sovereignty -- Parliament is the supreme legal authority
Rule of law -- everyone is equal before the law
Freedom of speech and expression -- within the bounds of the law
A free press -- media can report without government censorship