Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780–1928 - 1…

The idea

In c1780 the franchise varied by borough and county, so representation was patchy: county votes often rested on freehold land worth 40 shillings a year, while borough qualifications ranged from potwalloper households to corporation and freeman votes. Large towns such as Manchester and Birmingham returned no MPs, whereas Old Sarum returned two despite few voters, so the system favoured property, patronage and the south. Pressure came from industrialisation, population shift, radical agitation and later Chartism; resistance came from landowners, the Lords and fears of democracy. The Acts of 1832, 1867, 1884, 1918 and 1928 widened the franchise step by step, with 1918 adding a partial women's vote and 1928 equalising it.

What earns the marks

• Explains the c1780 franchise as varied and property-linked, using county 40-shilling freeholder qualification and contrasting borough qualifications.
• Links the c1780 franchise to representation by noting unrepresented industrial towns and rotten or pocket boroughs such as Old Sarum.
• Identifies pressures for change, including population growth, urbanisation, radical protest and organised campaigns.
• Explains resistance, including landed and aristocratic interests, Lords' obstruction and anxiety about property and democracy.
• Sequences the five named Acts and states the widening each produced, including 1918 partial women's suffrage and 1928 equal suffrage.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating the c1780 franchise as one uniform national qualification.

  Put it right by distinguishing county freeholder rules from varied borough rules.

• Assuming 1832 introduced democracy.

  Put it right by explaining it redistributed seats and modestly widened the vote while leaving many working men and all women excluded.

• Confusing 1918 with 1928.

  Put it right by stating 1918 gave some women the vote and 1928 equalised the franchise on the same terms as men.

Exam tips

• Anchor each Act to one precise change in who could vote or how seats were distributed.
• Use named places and groups to show significance rather than listing statutes.
• When assessing resistance, distinguish Commons, Lords and extra-parliamentary opposition.