Changes

==Beliefs and political values==

==Beliefs and political values==

===Laissez-faire policy===

===Laissez-faire policy===

During his second term as prime minister Gladstone was confronted with a worsening agricultural and trade depression, to which his policy of laissez-faire provided no answer. Cheap grains imported from America were ruining British farmers; across the world tariffs were increasing and thus restricting British exports and causing unemployment; and a formidable growth of European armaments was menacing British security. That challenge stimulated two mass movements of British opinion, and demands arose for a policy of [[social reform]] at home and for a vigorous imperialist policy overseas. Gladstone rejected both demands. He held that the [[national character]] and prosperity would both be undercut by a [[welfare state]] of the sort that [[Bismark]] was initiating in Germany. He held that a race among the [[Great Powers]] for military and naval supremacy would quickly get out of hand if Britain either joined in or expanded its overseas empire in compensation for increasing relative weakness in Europe.

During his second term as prime minister Gladstone was confronted with a worsening agricultural and trade depression, to which his policy of laissez-faire provided no answer. Cheap grains imported from America were ruining British farmers; across the world tariffs were increasing and thus restricting British exports and causing unemployment; and a formidable growth of European armaments was menacing British security. That challenge stimulated two mass movements of British opinion, and demands arose for a policy of [[social reform]] at home and for a vigorous imperialist policy overseas. Gladstone rejected both demands. He held that the [[national character]] and prosperity would both be undercut by a [[welfare state]] of the sort that [[Bismark]] was initiating in Germany. He held that a race among the [[Great Powers]] for military and naval supremacy would quickly get out of hand if Britain either joined in or expanded its overseas empire in compensation for increasing relative weakness in Europe.

===Corruption===

===Corruption===

Disraeli's Conservative Party was proposing solutions that were popular and the root cause of Gladstone's anger toward Disraeli was his belief that his rival was deliberately corrupting the minds of the British people upon whom Gladstone placed their trust.  Gladstone was visited by moods of black depression. At such times he spoke with an engaging but unguarded simplicity about his personal wish to retire and his public duty to remain at his post in order to execute the will of God; he was regarded in consequence by most of his enemies, and even by some of his friends, as a humbug. The most outstanding example of his lack of sophistication was his sudden espousal of the cause of Ireland.

Disraeli's Conservative Party was proposing solutions that were popular and the root cause of Gladstone's anger toward Disraeli was his belief that his rival was deliberately corrupting the minds of the British people upon whom Gladstone placed their trust.  Gladstone was visited by moods of black depression. At such times he spoke with an engaging but unguarded simplicity about his personal wish to retire and his public duty to remain at his post in order to execute the will of God; he was regarded in consequence by most of his enemies, and even by some of his friends, as a humbug. The most outstanding example of his lack of sophistication was his sudden espousal of the cause of Ireland.

In May 1864, Gladstone transformed overnight his standing in the country by declaring in the House of Commons that every man is entitled to a vote who is not disqualified by considerations of personal unfitness.<ref> Asa Briggs, ''The Making of Modern England, 1784-1867: The Age of Improvement'' (1959) p 492 </ref> That plea for something like universal suffrage infuriated his chief, the Liberal Prime Minister [[Lord Palmerston]], and cost Gladstone, to his abiding grief, the parliamentary representation of Oxford University. The great world denounced him as an unscrupulous demagogue, but he won wide popular support.  

In May 1864, Gladstone transformed overnight his standing in the country by declaring in the House of Commons that every man is entitled to a vote who is not disqualified by considerations of personal unfitness.<ref> Asa Briggs, ''The Making of Modern England, 1784-1867: The Age of Improvement'' (1959) p 492 </ref> That plea for something like universal suffrage infuriated his chief, the Liberal Prime Minister [[Lord Palmerston]], and cost Gladstone, to his abiding grief, the parliamentary representation of Oxford University. The great world denounced him as an unscrupulous demagogue, but he won wide popular support.  

When he became prime minister in 1868 he held that his principal task was to discover a series of high moral missions. He had great moral authority when he tried to rescue the [[Balkans]] from Ottoman misrule, and Ireland from British misrule. He set those missions before the nation in the confident belief that every individual would respond to the voice of God appealing to his conscience &mdash; but he did not invariably distinguish quite clearly enough between the voice of the prime minister and that of God.

When he became prime minister in 1868 he held that his principal task was to discover a series of high moral missions. He had great moral authority when he tried to rescue the [[Balkans]] from Ottoman misrule, and Ireland from British misrule. He set those missions before the nation in the confident belief that every individual would respond to the voice of God appealing to his conscience &mdash; but he did not invariably distinguish quite clearly enough between the voice of the prime minister and that of God.

==Principles==

===Principles===

* He was opposed to war and despised the cost of military activity, reminding parliament that he ‘uniformly opposed militarism’ throughout his career.

* He was opposed to war and despised the cost of military activity, reminding parliament that he ‘uniformly opposed militarism’ throughout his career.

==Gladstone on the American affairs==

==Gladstone on the American affairs==

Originally, Gladstone had held a strong prejudice against Americans, calling them ‘a dishonest, unprincipled people’ in 1844. He was especially critical of the money-grabbing Northern Yankee tradesmen and farmers, and shared the prejudiced view of the English upper-class that the Southern planters, with their cultivated drawl, were the closest thing [[United States of America|America]] had to gentlemen.

Originally, Gladstone had held a strong prejudice against Americans, calling them ‘a dishonest, unprincipled people’ in 1844. He was especially critical of the money-grabbing Yankee tradesmen and farmers, and shared the prejudiced view of the English upper-class that the Southern planters, with their cultivated life-style , were the closest America came to having gentlemen.

However, he did not believe that a permanent division of the [[United States of America|American Union]] would be in Britain’s best interests, and the violence of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] sickened him. He believed that the North would never be able to restore the Union by force, and was prepared to offer diplomatic recognition to the [[Confederate States of America|Southern Confederacy]] if they prevailed.

However, he did not believe that a permanent division of the American Union would be in Britain’s best interests, and the violence of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] sickened him. He believed that the North would never be able to restore the Union by force, and was prepared to offer diplomatic recognition to the [[Confederate States of America|Southern Confederacy]] if they prevailed.

In October 1862, Gladstone caused controversy by uttering the words: ''“There is no doubt that [[Jefferson Davis]], and other leaders of the South have made an army. They are making, it appears, a Navy. And they have made – what is more than either – they have made a Nation.”''

In October 1862, Gladstone caused controversy by remarking, “There is no doubt that [[Jefferson Davis]], and other leaders of the South have made an army. They are making, it appears, a Navy. And they have made – what is more than either – they have made a Nation.”

Gladstone shocked his Liberal colleagues by appearing to support the [[Confederate States of America|Southern Confederacy]]. John Bright commented: 'He is for union and freedom in Italy, and for disunion and bondage in America!' Gladstone detested [[slavery]], but saw no point in denouncing it when he believed the anti-slavery cause was lost.  

Gladstone shocked his Liberal colleagues by appearing to support the Confederacy. [[John Bright]] commented: 'He is for union and freedom in Italy, and for disunion and bondage in America!' Gladstone detested slavery, but saw no point in denouncing it when he believed the anti-slavery cause was lost.  

His unguarded comment caused some harm to Anglo-American relations for many years, but the unexpected victory of the Northern States had an important effect on Gladstone’s outlook. His prejudice slowly disappeared, and eventually came to regard American democracy as one of humanity’s supreme achievements. He later described the [[United States Constitution|American Constitution]] as: 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.'

His unguarded comment caused some harm to Anglo-American relations for many years, but the victory of the Union had an important effect on Gladstone’s outlook. His prejudice slowly disappeared, and eventually came to regard American democracy as one of humanity’s supreme achievements. He later described the American Constitution as: 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.'

==see also==

==see also==