Wpływ dziewiętnastowiecznych reform wyborczych na rozwój brytyjskiego parlamentaryzmu
BRITISH ELECTORAL REFORMS IN 19TH CENTURY AND THEIR INFLUENCE AT THE EVOLUTION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM

Summary/Abstract: Great Britain is regarded as a country, where the parliamentary system was born. This model was formed gradually in 18th and 19th century and the electoral reforms had the great influence on it. During the reign of George I and George II the cabinet became more independent of the Crown. Its existence was more dependent on the situation in the House of Commons. Even the domination of George III wasn't able to stop the evolution of the British constitution. The democratization of the relationship between the authorities of the state took place in the country, where the electoral system was not democratic at all. Till 1832 the members of House of Commons were elected by counties and towns; the electoral law secured the domination for the aristocracy. Many deputies represented rotten boroughs, where landlords decided who was elected by a few inhabitants and where the bribery was widespred. In 19th century the opposition of aristocrats was suppressed and the following electoral reforms led to the generalization of the franchise. As the result of the Grey reform act (1832) the majority of the rotten boroughs lost their representation. Local leaders had less influence on the result of the election, and the membership of the political party played more and more important part. Next reform acts (Disraeli 1867, Gladstone 1884) and establishment of the secret voting led to the domination of the parties and the disappearance of the independent deputies. The election of the deputy depended on his party identifiction, so dominance of the party leaders became stronger and stronger. In the result the parliamentary base of the cabinet was more solid, and the fall of the ministery was less probable. Between the reform acts of Grey and Disraeli the power of the House of Commons was as strong as it had never happend in the British constitutional history – before or later. Cabinets were falling down, because the new majority appeared in the House (still the deputies weren't strongly linked to the party). Because the party discipline of the deputies became much stronger after 1867, the cabinet prevailed over the Parliament. The parliamentary vote against the government became really rare, and the result of the general elections was the factor, which determined the fall of the cabinet. This way the democratization of the British electoral law brought the domination of the executive over the Parliament.

• Details
• Contents