Gladstone, the ‘People’s William’ 
by Russell Williams
Cheltenham and Gloucester College

Key aspects to consider

1. Gladstone’s first ministry: aims and achievements.
2. ‘Gladstonian Liberalism’.
3. Effects of social reforms.
4. Divisions in the Liberal party.
5. Gladstone and Disraeli as party leaders.
6. The Irish problem: why did Gladstone fail to solve it?
7. Foreign and imperial policy issues.

Working with the information

Make notes on these items

1. What was the purpose of the following measures in the 1868-74 ministry:

(i) Irish Land Act; 

(ii) Elementary Education Act;

(iii) Civil Service Reform; 

(iv) Army Reform;

(v) Ballot Act; 

(vi) Licensing Act?

2. How was the franchise extended in:

(i) 1832; 

(ii) 1867 and 

(iii) 1884?

3. Draw up a chart of Gladstone’s strengths and weaknesses as Prime Minister.

What are your overall conclusions?

4. Explain the following groups in the Liberal party: 

whigs; 

Peelites; 

radicals.

5. List the achievements of the following, assessing which was the most successful:

First Ministry 1868-74;

Second Ministry 1880-85;

Third Ministry 1886;

Fourth Ministry 1892-94.

6. How similar, and how different, were the policies of Gladstone and Disraeli to: 

(i) social reform; 

(ii) Ireland; 

(iii) the Empire?

7. Read two books which summarise Gladstone’s achievements. Which sources of evidence do they use? How far do they agree or differ?

Questions

For use either as topics for revision or as essay questions.

1 How far did Gladstone deserve the title ‘the People’s William’?
2 Why, in spite of its reforms, did the Liberal party not enjoy the full confidence of British voters from 1874 to 1894?
3 Was the Irish Problem insoluble in the late nineteenth century - or did Gladstone adopt the wrong solutions?
4 Do you agree that Gladstone’s foreign policy was driven more by unrealistic principles than by an understanding of Britain's interests?
5 ‘He has no judgement, and does not seem to understand the purport or value of his own acts’. ‘He displayed all-round parliamentary powers, which it is difficult to believe can ever have been quite equalled’. Assess Gladstone's claim to be a great Prime Minister in the light of these comments.

Supplementary reading, further to your primary textbook

P. Adelman, Gladstone, Disreali and Later Victorian Politics, Longman - Seminar Studies series, 1983;

J. Belchem, Class, Party and the Political System in Britain, 1867-1914, Blackwell - Historical Association Studies series, 1990; 

A. Hawkins, British Party Politics 1852-1886, Macmillan, 1996; 

D. Watts, Whigs, Radicals and Liberals 1815-1914, Hoddder & Stoughton - Access to History series, 1995; 

M.J. Winstanley, Gladstone and the Liberal Party, Routledge - Lancaster Pamphlets series, 1990.