The Struggle for Democracy : Parliamentary Reform, from the Rotten Boroughs to Today

Prior to the 1832 Reform Act the electoral system was rife with corruption and in desperate need of reform. In England and Wales only about 12 per cent of adult men had the vote and the proportion was even less in Scotland and Ireland. Women did not vote at all. A single person controlled a rotten borough that returned two Members of Parliament, and for a number of years one of them was the prime minister. Furthermore, not only did voting take place in public, so landlords could and did evict tenants who voted against their wishes, but voting qualifications also differed from place to place. With the use of many fascinating anecdotes, Roger Mason tells how we got from then to now. All the major reforms are covered: Catholic Emancipation, further Reform Acts, the end of the House of Lords veto and, of course, votes for women. This fascinating history offers a complete insight into the way we have voted from the beginnings of Parliament through to the present day. The town of Old Sarum, which contains not three houses, sends two members; and the town of Manchester, which contains upwards of sixty thousand souls, is not admitted to send any. Is there any principle in these things?' (Tom Paine, Rights of Man, 1791). Britain's voting arrangements prior to the 1832 Reform Act are almost unbelievable to us now. Only 12 per cent of men (and no women) had the vote, a single person controlled a rotten borough that returned two Members of Parliament (one of whom was the Prime Minister), and voting was in public, with landlords evicting tenants who voted against their wishes. In The Struggle for Democracy, Roger Mason tells the story of how we got from then to now. All major reforms are covered, such as Catholic Emancipation, further Reform Acts, the end of the House of Lords veto, and of course votes for women. This fascinating history offers a complete insight into the way we have voted from the beginnings of parliament through to the future of democracy Britain's voting arrangements prior to the 1832 Reform Act are almost unbelievable to us now. Only 12 percent of men (and no women) had the vote, a single person controlled a rotten borough that returned two Members of Parliament (one of whom was the Prime Minister), and voting was in public, with landlords evicting tenants who voted against their wishes. In The Struggle for Democracy, Roger Mason tells the story of how we got from then to now. All major reforms are covered, such as Catholic Emancipation, further Reform Acts, the end of the House of Lords veto, and of course votes for women. This fascinating history offers a complete insight into the way we have voted from the beginnings of parliament through to the future of democracy. --Provided by publisher.