Often asked: What Was A Rotten Borough?

What is meant by a rotten borough?

Rotten borough, depopulated election district that retains its original representation. The term was first applied by English parliamentary reformers of the early 19th century to such constituencies maintained by the crown or by an aristocratic patron to control seats in the House of Commons.

What were rotten boroughs in Britain?

A rotten or pocket borough, also known as a nomination borough or proprietorial borough, was a parliamentary borough or constituency in England, Great Britain, or the United Kingdom before the Reform Act 1832, which had a very small electorate and could be used by a patron to gain unrepresentative influence within the

What was the effect of rotten boroughs on the democratic process in England?

Which of the following was the effect of rotten boroughs on the democratic process in England? A. Because they consistently voted for the Tory party, they disrupted the status quo.

What did the 1832 Reform Act do?

In 1832, Parliament passed a law changing the British electoral system. It was known as the Great Reform Act. This was a response to many years of people criticising the electoral system as unfair. For example, there were constituencies with only a handful of voters that elected two MPs to Parliament.

What did the 1884 Reform Act do?

Taken together, these measures extended the same voting qualifications as existed in the towns to the countryside, and essentially established the modern one member constituency as the normal pattern for Parliamentary representation. The Act extended the 1867 concessions from the boroughs to the countryside.

How did the Great Reform Act of 1832 correct the problem of rotten boroughs?

How did the great reform act of 1832 correct the problem of rotten boroughs? The Act granted seats in the House of Commons to large cities that had sprung up during the Industrial Revolution, and took away seats from the ” rotten boroughs “-those with very small populations.

Who could vote in 1832?

It abolished tiny districts, gave representation to cities, gave the vote to small landowners, tenant farmers, shopkeepers, householders who paid a yearly rental of £10 or more, and some lodgers.

How many reform acts were there?

Sources refer to up to six “Reform Acts”, although the earlier three in 1832, 1867 /8 and 1884 are better known by this name. Some other acts related to electoral matters also became known as Reform Acts.