paper 6 - Socio - Political condition of Victorian Age
To Evaluate My Assignment Click Here
Assignment of Socio- Political Condition of Victorian Age
Name : Makwana Daksha D.
The Victorian era is generally agreed to stretch through the reign of queen Victoria ( 1837 -1901 ) . The period of the reign of Queen Victoria , which is usually called , “ The Victorian Age “. It was a tremendously exciting period when many artistic styles , literary schools as well as social, political and religious movements flourished . It was a time of prosperity, board imperial expansion and great political reform . it was an extraordinary complex age that has sometimes been called the second English Renaissance .
Middle Class : They are an owner of factories or have a own trade and business. They have to work. Few leisure time as well and also their own servant for work.
Working / Poor class : They are lowest among social hierarchy , they have to worked all day in factories , received very little money , even basic necessities of life are not fulfilled , They have to suffer from extreme poverty . In need of more money they send their children for factory works for their food.
Social issue like criminal activities were existed in that time , chain snatching , pick-pocketing , corruption and murder this are the evils of criminal world . They uses children for their evil purposes. Poor and orphan children have to do criminal act for their food. There is a victimization of children at the hands of devils.
Assignment of Socio- Political Condition of Victorian Age
Name : Makwana Daksha D.
Course : MA
Semester : 2
Roll no
: 4
Batch : 2017
– 2019
Enrollment
no : 2069108420180034
Paper no : 6
– The Victorian Literature
Topic : The
Socio –Political condition of
Victorian age
Submitted to
: Smt. S.B. Gardi Dept. of English MKBU
Introduction
:
The Victorian era is generally agreed to stretch through the reign of queen Victoria ( 1837 -1901 ) . The period of the reign of Queen Victoria , which is usually called , “ The Victorian Age “. It was a tremendously exciting period when many artistic styles , literary schools as well as social, political and religious movements flourished . It was a time of prosperity, board imperial expansion and great political reform . it was an extraordinary complex age that has sometimes been called the second English Renaissance .
The age was
full of contradictions , of Industrialization
and technological progress , of
extreme poverty and the exploitation of factory workers , of social reforms , of scientific discoveries
and religious unrest.
Social Background :
Britain
Transformed : as seen in the Victorian literature , from
the 1830s to the
1870s , Britain under wet changes
the transformed the lives of its people
,
British manufacturing become
dominant in the world , trade and
the financial sector also grew significantly . British power and influence
overseas expanded and seemed to be permanent
.
The Rail
network begun in the 1830s and had a great effect not only on the
accessibility of travel and speed of
movement but also on the appearance of the countryside. The application of
steam power to machines and textile industry, building of new roads and Railways , this transformation resulted in migration
of rural people to the industrial areas in search for job .
Migration of
People : The period also saw a significant shift
of population from the
countryside to the towns and the consequent growth of large cities . The
population grew enormously, from around 12 million in 1812 to 25 million by
1870. Urbanization created an
intolerable overcrowding and also
many problems with it .
Social concern :
The daily needs and problems of
ordinary people included , poverty and ill –health , a horrifying level of
child morality and child laboring . Rapid industrialization creates class of
upper class , middle class and working class people . it also creates conflict between employers and
workers .
Historical Background
: The poor law , in 1834 established that workers had to live in
workhouses , where the destitute could find
accommodation , a bit of food and lot of work to do. The workhouse was supposed to demonstrate the
virtue of gainful employment to the poor , but fails that idea of charity . The law
allowed the poor to receive public assistance only if they lived and worked in
established workhouses .
Industrial Revolution :
Establishments of factories and mills , development of science and
technology , this revolution leads transformation of people from rural to urban
nation. There is a change in social structure , social class of higher class ,
middle class and working/ poor class people.
Class System :
Wealthy
class people have authority and all facilities
, they have wealth from inheritance or a land from past generation . They have
a lots of leisure time, attending parties and dressed in etiquette manner , they have a servant for
housework .
Middle Class : They are an owner of factories or have a own trade and business. They have to work. Few leisure time as well and also their own servant for work.
Working / Poor class : They are lowest among social hierarchy , they have to worked all day in factories , received very little money , even basic necessities of life are not fulfilled , They have to suffer from extreme poverty . In need of more money they send their children for factory works for their food.
Status of
Women in Victorian Society :
Certain type
of family pattern which is followed , Victimization
of women at the hands of male dominant
power , they have to obey their husband. Their duty only to do household work
and take care of children . Women were
powerless at hands of society. Revolution gave women an opportunity to work and
earn money, thus changing in old
beliefs.
Situation of
Children : In that time very dangerous
situation of children in society. Child
laboring was very big issue of
that time . If family is poor then children have to work in factories to earn
more money to support family. Orphan
children are treated very badly in workhouses, they have to work as a slave ,
even working throughout the day they don’t get enough food also . Workhouses
becomes prison for orphan children.
Social issue like criminal activities were existed in that time , chain snatching , pick-pocketing , corruption and murder this are the evils of criminal world . They uses children for their evil purposes. Poor and orphan children have to do criminal act for their food. There is a victimization of children at the hands of devils.
Poverty
: working class
people have to suffer from very
poor situation , workers lived in slums were in terrible hygienic conditions .
women chooses the profession of prostitution for gaining money , children have
to work in factories and mills for money and to support the family . poor
families are forced to labor in prison like workhouses . Child labor and
poverty are completely related to each other.
Political
Background : During the long reign of 63 years , many changes were
brought in England . Victorian era is
known for the vast developments that took place changing the
Political and Economical structure of England.
Victorian Houses :
The English government under the rule of Queen Victoria was a monarchy
which also comprised of a Parliament . The parliament was a Bicameral
legislature which consisted
of – The house of Lords and The house of
commons . The said houses would meet separately and passed a bill as law
by majority votes . However , for the bill to passed , it was
necessary that both the houses accent to it. The members of the House of Lords were not elected by public voting and
the Lord Chancellor was appointed to
superwise its activities . On the other hand, the members of the House of Commons were elected by public voting .
Two Politicals
Parties :
In the
initial years of The Victorian
period , there were two strong political parties , The Whigs and Tories
( Conservatives ) .
The Whigs were in favor of growth of the
parliament and wanted to restrict the royal power . Towards the end of 1850 ,
The Whigs become liberals . They were of the opinion that parliament should all
the decisions and all men should have a right to vote and elect members.
Tories , the
other dominant party was in favor of monarchy , many rich
officials belonging to high posts were members of this party . Tories believed
that only those men who are rich and owner large plots of land should have the
right to vote.
The Reform
Acts :
Acts of
legislation gave more of the working and scope for the middle class to vote .
The said Acts were known as the Reform Acts which were passed in 1832, 1867 and
1884 .
In 1760s William Pitt advocated
Parliamentary reform. One of the important political unions which supported the
reforms was the Birmingham Political Union headed by Thomas Atwood. The
first Reform Act was represented in 1832 by Lord John Russell to the House of Commons. According
to this Act, men who owned a house worth more than ten pounds would get the
right.
This meant that on an average, one
in five men would get the voting right. The 1867 Reform Act provided for
the right to vote to all those who owned a house, irrespective of its
value. It increased the number of voters. The 1884 Act included poor people’s
right of voting. Farmers and rural workers were given voting right under this
act which instantly escalated the number of voters.
Women
had no right to vote in
either of the three Acts. But the situation changed in 1918 when an act was
passed which gave them the right to vote equal to men. As per this act, women
over 30 years of age and men over 21 years of age could vote. The Equal
Franchise Act, 1928 gave the right to vote to all who were 21 years of
age.
The desire for change was reflected by the activity
of Parliament in the second quarter of the 19th Century:
·
The Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829 removed
most of the legal disadvantages suffered by Roman Catholics.
·
The 1832 Reform Act enabled more men to vote but
electors still had to possess a minimum amount of property before they could
exercise this right
·
There were several Factory Acts that - among other
things - limited the hours children were allowed to work
·
In 1834, the new Poor Law set up the notorious
workhouses, where the poor were sent to work for their board and lodging
·
In 1846, the Corn Laws, which kept the price of
wheat artificially high, were repealed, and the price of bread fell.
Conclusion :
The Victorian age as an age of
optimism was a turbulent period which, in many ways , saw itself as a time of
confident progress . many people believed that Britain was leading the world
into a new and better age. In that time more enlightened laws ,benefits of
wealth ,industrial development and greater political stability was marked as
an important characteristics of the age.
0 Comments