Changes

In the 18th century, Whigs were not organized as a party in the modern sense and consisted largely of personal groups contending for power among themselves, kept together by friendship and patronage rather than policies and principles. They were eclipsed by the new Toryism of the younger Pitt from 1783 and after the French Revolution many became Tories. They began to recover unity by supporting moral reforms, especially the abolition of slavery and emancipation of the Catholics. They triumphed in 1830 as champions of Parliamentary reform. Earl Grey was a key leader as Prime Minister, and the Reform Act of 1832 was their signature measure, by broadening the franchise. It ended the system of "rotten borough" and "pocket boroughs" where elections were controlled by powerful families, and instead redistributed power on the basis of population. Only the rich and middle classes voted, so this shifted power away from the landed aristocracy to the urban middle classes. In 1832 they abolished slavery in the Empire, by purchasing and freeing the slaves, especially those in the Caribbean sugar islands. The Factory Act of 1832 reduced child labour. Thus between 1830 and 1841 they effected some major reforms. They also acquired many followers of Robert Peel after the Tory party split in 1846.  In terms of image,  "Tory" suggested gloomy, cynical and cautious, and somewhat sceptically of fancy notions like `freedom' and `progress'. "Whig," by contrast, was more optimistic and occasionally quite radical, placing little value on stuffy old customs.  In terms of economic policy the Whigs favouring an open, `free trade' relationship rather than the old-fashioned "protectionist" ideas of the Tories.  Increasingly after 1832 the term "Liberal" replaced “Whig”, so that by the late 1860s the term "Whig" was no longer used for current events. See [[British Liberal Party]]

In the 18th century, Whigs were not organized as a party in the modern sense and consisted largely of personal groups contending for power among themselves, kept together by friendship and patronage rather than policies and principles. They were eclipsed by the new Toryism of the younger Pitt from 1783 and after the French Revolution many became Tories. They began to recover unity by supporting moral reforms, especially the abolition of slavery and emancipation of the Catholics. They triumphed in 1830 as champions of Parliamentary reform. Earl Grey was a key leader as Prime Minister, and the Reform Act of 1832 was their signature measure, by broadening the franchise. It ended the system of "rotten borough" and "pocket boroughs" where elections were controlled by powerful families, and instead redistributed power on the basis of population. Only the rich and middle classes voted, so this shifted power away from the landed aristocracy to the urban middle classes. In 1832 they abolished slavery in the Empire, by purchasing and freeing the slaves, especially those in the Caribbean sugar islands. The Factory Act of 1832 reduced child labour. Thus between 1830 and 1841 they effected some major reforms. They also acquired many followers of Robert Peel after the Tory party split in 1846.  In terms of image,  "Tory" suggested gloomy, cynical and cautious, and somewhat sceptically of fancy notions like `freedom' and `progress'. "Whig," by contrast, was more optimistic and occasionally quite radical, placing little value on stuffy old customs.  In terms of economic policy the Whigs favouring an open, `free trade' relationship rather than the old-fashioned "protectionist" ideas of the Tories.  Increasingly after 1832 the term "Liberal" replaced “Whig”, so that by the late 1860s the term "Whig" was no longer used for current events. See [[British Liberal Party]]

see also [[Whig Interpretation of History]]

 

See also [[Whig Interpretation of History]]

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==