DEVOLOPMENT OF LIBERAL IDEAS IN GREAT BRITAIN
BENTHAMISM PHILOSOPHICAL RADICALIMS
TIME Early Victorianism (1815-1850)
LEGISLATION POLITICAL FIELD
 1820 Reform of the Penal Code:
modifications to adequate punishment to
crimes (they were too tough)- to assure
application of punishment.
 1829 Metropolitan Police Force: (New
Scotland Yard) The act established the
Metropolitan Police Force of London
replacing the previously disorganized
system of parish constables and
watchmen.
 1832 Reform Bill: the extension of
enfranchise (to have representation in
Parliament) Enfranchisement of industrial
workers.
ECONOMIC FIELD
 1835 Municipal Corporation Act: An
Act to provide for the Regulation of
Municipal Corporations in England and
Wales. It settled the election of the
council. Town councils were to replace
corporations.
 1845/6 Importation Act: after the
repeal of Corn Laws.
 1849 Repeal of Navigation Code:
achievement of free trade.
SOCIAL FIELD
 1829 Factory Act: applied to cotton
mills. It prohibited child labour under 9.
 1833 Factory Act: Bentham believed
that children were not able to know
NEW LIBERALISM
Mid Victorianism (1850-1875)
POLITICAL FIELD
 1867 Reform Bill Enfranchisement of
urban workers
 1872 Secret Ballot Act: an Act of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom that
introduced the requirement that
parliamentary and local government elections
in the United Kingdom be held by secret
ballot. Secret ballot: is a voting method in
which a voter's choices in an election or a
referendum is anonymous, forestalling
attempts to influence the voter by
intimidation, blackmailing, and potential vote
buying. The system is one means of achieving
the goal of political privacy.
 1875 Employers and workmen act
to enhance legal position of the apprentices.
The Act purported to place both sides of
industry in equal footing allowing all breaches
of contract to be covered by civil law. Prior to
the Act, employers were subjected to civil law
which could result in a fine while employees
could be subjected to criminal law which may
have led to a fine and imprisonment.
FACTORY
 1878 Factory and workshop act: extension
of the Factory Reform of 1830s.
HEALTH
The cholera epidemic-> lot of people died. It
was necessary to do something about the
sanitary conditions in order to avoid
Late Victorianism (1875-1901)
POLITICAL FIELD
1884 Reform Bill: Rural working class was
enfranchised.
1911 Parliament Bill: the house of Lords had
no longer power to veto. They only had the
suspensory power to delay legislation for 2
years
ECONOMIC FIELD
1908 People’s budget: the money from
taxation would be used to implement social
programs [to achieve the liberal aim of “the
greatest happiness of the greatest number”]
Some part should be aimed at the building
of war ships (the dreadnought)
SOCIAL FIELD
 1878 Factory Workshops Act: inspectors
appointed to control working conditions in
factory workshops
 1897 Workmen Compensation Act:
employers financially responsible for
employee’s accidents
 1908 Old Age Pensions: provided those
over 70 with a pension.
 1909 Town Planning Act: act of
Parliament which prevented the building
of back-to-back houses. The act also
meant local authorities must introduce
systems of town planning and meant
homes had to be built to certain
standards.
 1911 National Insurance Act: it
 what makes them happy-> Legislation
was necessary. This act limited the
working hours for children and young
people. It prohibited children under 11,
then 12, then 13 years old, to work more
than 48 hours a week/9 hours a day.
Then there were inspectors to control.
 1833 Slavery Abolition Act: an Act for
the Abolition of Slavery throughout the
British Colonies; for promoting the
Industry of the manumitted Slaves; and
for compensating the Persons hitherto
entitled to the Services of such Slaves.
 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act:
passed by the Whig, to change the
poverty relief system in England, curb
cost of it. An Act for Amendment and
better Administration of Law relating to
the Poor in England and Wales.
 1848 Local Boards of Health were set
up
EDUCATIONAL FIELD
 1834- First Government grant to
Primary Education.
 1839- More Governments grant for
education: to appointment
inspectors. State control of Schools.
possibilities of new epidemics. Health Acts has granted social security to those workers
to do with the improvement of sanitary who needed protection (old age pension,
conditions. The government had to provide sickness benefit, unemployment
better health conditions and pay more benefits, maternity benefits, disabled
attention to social needs. benefits, etc).
 1848 Public Health Act:
 1875 Public Health Act: they didn’t mean This act marked the evolution from Social
the provision of health services, but the Service State to Social Security State
improvement of sanitary conditions in slum
areas. Drainage, sanitation, water supplies. EDUCATIONAL FIELD
HOUSING  1891 Free Elementary Education: In
 1875 artisan’s Dwelling Act: for the 1891, elementary schooling became free
cleaning of slum areas and the building of in both board and voluntary (church)
decent houses. schools.
EDUCATIONAL FIELD  1902 Balfour Education Act: it made
 1870 Foster Education Act: extension of provisions for the setting up of secondary
the Education Reform of 1830s. It reduced schools.
feed and changed the school leaving age.  1906 Provision of Meals Act: local
Primary school became compulsory and free education authorities were to provide
of charge. school meals.
 1871 University Test Act: universities were  1907 Education and Health Act: school
opened to dissenters. The University Test Act Medical Service: elementary school
in UK abolished the communion “Tests” and children medically inspected
allowed Roman Catholics, non-conformist and
non-Christian to take up the fellowships at the
of Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, London
and Durham.
 1864 First Grant for teachers and training
salary.