The Great Reform Act 1832

The Great Reform Act of 1832 was the first significant reform of the parliamentary system in Britain. It addressed some of the worst abuses of the old electoral system and extended the vote to a wider section of the middle class. While it fell far short of democracy, it was a crucial step in the long process of political reform.

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The Unreformed Parliamentary System

Before 1832, the British electoral system was chaotic, corrupt, and deeply unequal.