Peels Aim example essay topic
Robert Peel had great control over his second ministry; it was an impressive government as it contained five past and future prime minister in it. However the conservatives had suffered badly in elections but Peel won many landowners vote for the main tance of the Corn Laws and he was considered a great politician. Pell had a strategy of what he wanted to do and this made him dominant over other politicians. Peels was appalled by the condition of the labouring classes. There were hunger and misery all over the country largely caused by urbanisation and industrialisation, this led to discontent and peel didn't want that, he believed that social stability was vital.
He reduced or removed a large number of custom duties, and he re-introduced income tax that taxed the rich instead of the poor to make up the loss in the duties; this increased the general standard of living. The removal of custom duties was also part of his objective to expand the economy and repair the national finances, which the Whigs had left in a appalling state. He believed that this move further toward free trade would create new prosperity and would decrease social distress. To help social distress, Peel introduced the Mines Act of 1842 which forbade women and children to work underground, the Factory Act reduced the hours that women and children under the age of thirteen could work. As the finances were in such a terrible state another of Peels aim was to strengthen the financial system.
He achieved this during his ministry as he introduced The Bank Charter Act of 1844. This brought the banking system under tighter control and increased the power of the Bank of England. Peel wanted to remove faults systems. To overcome an irregularity he introduced the Companies act which prevented anyone advertising and saying that they were a company and receiving money for assurances and annuities. This was to stabilise and increase public confidence and the trustworthiness of businesses.
This act achieved his aim of stabilising and controlling businesses. The conservatives had suffered since after the Napoleonic wars, they were still linked with the reactionary, and depressed time after the wars. Peel wanted to modernise the party to broaden its appeal and get away from the stigma of the reactionary Tories. The conservatives overcame this, as they were the first party to begin to be organised. A link with the noble conservative supporters was set up, the Carlton Club, this gave Peel a link to public opinion, and so he could increase support though this and change the view of the party. The conservatives also had an election committee and a finance fund, which increased the conservative feeling around the country, and changed the view of reactionary party to an efficient and organised leading party.
However Robert Peel didn't do all his objectives, for example to improve the labouring classes of society. Although he did pass the mines act and the Factory Act, he was forced to introduce them from public pressure and campaigning. He believed that social reform would do little help the labouring classes and they would limit the freedom of manufacturers and it wasn't the governments role to introduced measures to tackle social discontent. Economic improvement was the only way to improve the condition of the people.