Reform Act 1832

E8730

The Reform Act 1832 was a landmark British law that restructured parliamentary representation by eliminating many "rotten boroughs" and extending the electoral franchise, laying foundations for modern democracy in the United Kingdom.

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Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom
constitutional reform
abolished many rotten boroughs
aimedTo make parliamentary representation more equitable
reduce corruption in elections
alsoKnownAs Reform Act 1832
surface form: First Reform Act

Reform Act 1832
surface form: Representation of the People Act 1832
appliesTo England and Wales
basisOfFranchise property qualification
category 1832 in British law
Electoral reform in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1832
country United Kingdom
didNotGrant universal suffrage
votes for women
effectOnElectorate broadened social base of voters
increased size of electorate
enactedBy Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
surface form: Parliament of the United Kingdom
extendedFranchiseTo middle-class property owners
more male householders
historicalSignificance considered a landmark in British constitutional history
laid foundations for later franchise extensions
longTitle An Act to amend the representation of the people in England and Wales
monarchAtEnactment William IV
opposedBy many Tory politicians
politicalImpact marked step towards modern democracy in Britain
strengthened representation of urban areas
weakened aristocratic control of the House of Commons
politicalPartyOfGovernment Whig Party
predecessor unreformed parliamentary system
primeMinisterAtEnactment Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
redistributedSeatsTo industrial towns
large cities
new industrial centres
reducedRepresentationOf rotten boroughs
relatedAct Reform Act 1832 self-linksurface differs
surface form: Irish Reform Act 1832

Reform Act 1832 self-linksurface differs
surface form: Scottish Reform Act 1832
royalAssent 7 June 1832
subjectOf Reform Act 1832 self-linksurface differs
surface form: Reform Crisis of 1830–1832
successor Reform Act 1867
Representation of the People Act 1884
supportedBy Reform Act 1832 self-linksurface differs
surface form: Whig reformers
triggeredBy pressure from middle classes
public agitation for parliamentary reform
year 1832

Referenced by (21)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Aldborough abolishedBy Reform Act 1832
Castle Rising abolishedBy Reform Act 1832
Old Sarum abolishedBy Reform Act 1832
subject surface form: Old Sarum (UK Parliament constituency)
Reform Act 1832 alsoKnownAs Reform Act 1832
this entity surface form: Representation of the People Act 1832
Reform Act 1832 alsoKnownAs Reform Act 1832
this entity surface form: First Reform Act
Old Sarum governedBy Reform Act 1832
subject surface form: Old Sarum (UK Parliament constituency)
this entity surface form: Reform Act 1832 (for abolition)
British reform movement influenced Reform Act 1832
Chartism influencedBy Reform Act 1832
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey knownFor Reform Act 1832
Earl Grey knownFor Reform Act 1832
Earl Grey legislativeAchievement Reform Act 1832
William IV notableEvent Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1867 precededBy Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1832 relatedAct Reform Act 1832 self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Scottish Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1832 relatedAct Reform Act 1832 self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Irish Reform Act 1832
Victorian era significantEvent Reform Act 1832
this entity surface form: Reform Acts in Britain
Reform Act 1832 subjectOf Reform Act 1832 self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Reform Crisis of 1830–1832
Reform Act 1832 supportedBy Reform Act 1832 self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Whig reformers
Henry Brougham supportedLegislation Reform Act 1832
Whig Party supportedReform Reform Act 1832