Influences on Parliamentary Reform and Politics

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I think the work of the younger pitt was important because he made it possible for trade to expand by reducing smuggling. He also lowered taxes for people who could not afford it and recognised that the financial system was inefficient and money was being wasted. Also I think his work was important because he appreciated the strength of the demand for parliamentary reform and decided to do something about it. He recognised the corruption in the system especially in rotten burroughs and decided to act against it by abolishing the rotten burroughs and transferring these seats to london and the counties. The french Revolution was a significant influence on parliamentary reform because people hoped it's existance would bring about change by force britain to change its laws and allow them the same freedoms as anglicans. Also the fall of the bastille and the establishment of a democratically elected form of government in france prompted the activities of the radicals who were calling for parliamentary reform. It also inspired the setting up of a number of new societies which published pamphlets calling for a variety of liberal reforms. Lord Liverpools government and the radical challenge was of importance because he brought in the liberal tories which replaced the members of the existing cabinet. The tories were prepared to introduce some reforms and Liverpool hoped to improve social and economic conditions sufficiently to win the support of moderate reformers all over the country. It was also of importance because Liverpool successfully handled the radical challenge by prosecuting hundreds of people who had done wrong and by introducing harsher punishments. Through doing this violence gradually died away. His government also introduced a few improvements such as forbidding the employment of children under the age of nine in the mills and limited the hours of nine to
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