Providing an account of the development of democracy in Britain, this book starts from the "unreformed" political system before 1832 to the Parliamentary Reform Acts passed between 1832 and 1918, with the extension of the franchise, the secret ballot and the elimination of corrupt practices. The book also provides an examination of parliamentary reforms whilst exploring the changing role of the monarchy and the reasons for its survival, and the development of local government. It concludes by examining to what extent Britain possessed truly democratic political institutions after 1918.

Author Biography

Robert Pearce, who edited History Review from 1998 to 2012, is General Editor of Routledge Historical Biographies. His recent publications include 1930s Britain (Shire, 2010) and British Prime Ministers (Routledge, 2013). He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.