Comparing Tories and the Whigs in 18th Century Politics

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Comparing Tories and the Whigs in 18th Century Politics

It is possible to speak of political parties in the period 1789 to

1830. Indeed political parties existed before 1789 but were further

established at the beginning of this period when they became divided

over certain issues; the monarchy, the war, taxation. The differences

between the two parties became clearer as this period goes on.

Political parties i.e. Tories and Whigs existed from the 1670s when

they were used to describe the views of those for and against the

exclusion of Charles II's catholic brother James II, from legitimate

succession to the throne[1]. The Whigs stressed the institution of

parliament as a necessary brake on royal power; the Tories implied a

defence of the established institutions and in particular, those of

the monarchy. The Whigs were seen to want to limit the power of the

crown as much as possible. So that prerogative was so greatly reduced

that the nation would be a Republic in a sense. While the Tories were

advocators of the crown; "they were fast friends to the House of

Stewart."[2]

The Whigs were identified with the glorious Revolution, the protestant

succession, a limited measure of toleration for Dissent, a more

liberal view of the Church of England, and sympathy for financial and

commercial interests. The Tories were the party of the landed interest

and the high church faction within the Anglican establishment, with

all that that implied by way of hostility towards Dissenters.[3]

Party politics was well established by the 1770s as the well known

lawyer Edmund Burke produced a famous pamphlet titled; Thoughts on the

causes of the prese...

... middle of paper ...

...ower of the monarchy and as the

period goes on the divisions become deeper and clearer. However, there

were a lot of things that were the same as before this period; there

was still a lot of independent ministers in the House of Commons and

the lords and the Whigs and Tories were not totally different, as

members of both parties still regarded themselves as the king's

ministers.

Bibliography

Peter Evans: Political Parties in Britain

J.W.Derry: Politics in the age of Fox, Pitt and Liverpool.

Peter Jupp: article

R.G.Thorne: The History of Parliament: the House of Commons.

Internet: www.dadalos.org

---------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Evans.

[2] Evans.

[3] J.W.Derry.

[4] J.W.Derry

[5] www.dadalos.org

[6] Jupp.

[7] R.G.Thorne

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