Module One Lecture One Introduction to the Victorian Middle Class Society, Politics,

Mentality and Culture.

a) enduring historical, sociological and political labels and competing insider views
the Victorian age the age of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), ho !eca"e #"$re%% of
&ndia in 187' after $re(iou%l) changing the na"e of the *ano(erian +riti%h d)na%t)
to that of the *ou%e of ,a-e-.o!urg and /otha, hen %he "arried 0rince 1l!ert of
the latter hou%e) in 2o"anian, e$oca (ictorian3 (%"all ca%e)
the age of the British Empire (a geo$olitical la!el) - the +riti%h "onarch controlled
one third of the orld in the +riti%h colonie% hich e-tended in Asia to 1fghani%tan
and 4i!et, co(ering the hole of &ndia ( thirt)-four ti"e% the %i5e of #ngland),
e-tending to New Zealand and Australia (here Magitch in 6/reat
#-$ectation%6 or *ett) ,orrell in 61da" +ede6 !) /eorge #liot and "an) a real
Victorian (illain got transported in a 7ind of %urrogate of a cri"inal8% e-ecution)9 4he
+riti%h #"$ire al%o e-tended to Canada, :0 ti"e% the %i5e of #ngland9 &n Africa,
the +riti%h #"$ire occu$ied ;igeria and #g)$t to the ;orth, after the 0urcha%e in
187< of the ,ue5 .anal, and ent a% far don a% the ti$ of the continent here it
con=uered ,outh 1frica after the +oer >ar, in the 1890%. (%ee /9 M9 4re(el)an9
6&llu%trated *i%tor) of #ngland6, 19'?, tran%lated into 2o"anian in 197< @ +oo7 ',
3
rd
.ha$ter)94he union of &reland ith /reat +ritain ( to create 4he Anited Bingdo"
of /reat +ritain and &reland in 1801) %anctioned and !rought to it% cli"a- the
centurie%-old do"ination of &reland !) the rich, $oerful neigh!our9
the country of the industrial revolution (an econo"ic, %ocial la!el)9 &t i% intere%ting
to %ee hat cau%ed the indu%trial re(olution and hat it% hi%torical con%e=uence
ere9 &n the %$an of a %ingle centur) the hi%tor) of %cience unite% in +ritain the
na"e% of Ca"e% >att, Michael Darada), >illia" 4ho"%on, Lord Bel(in, /eorge +oole,
Ca"e% .ler7 Ma-ell9 4he technological ad(ance% include the in(ention of the
telegra$h, the intercontinental ca!le, the generali%ation of %tea" $oer (ith the
large %cale i"$le"entation of the %tea" ha""er, the %tea" tur!ine, the %tea"
loo" and the %tea" $lough) or the uni(er%al "illing "achine@ the co""unication
indu%tr) a% re(olutioni5ed !) the in(ention and the orld-ide %$reading of the
telegra$h, the intercontinental ca!le or $hotogra$h) and !) the rotar) $rinting
$re%%@ land tran%$ortation de(elo$ed tre"endou%l) ith the !uilding in +ritain of the
Er%t %ucce%%ful railroad %)%te" in the orld folloed !) the con%truction of the
Er%t underground raila) %)%te", the Metro$olitan, in 18'0@ the electric la"$
increa%ed the ur!ani5ation %tandard%, too@ the co""odit) indu%tr) a% changed !)
the introduction of the (acuu" cleaner%, and the ar indu%tr) 6thri(ed6 after the
in(ention of the auto"atic gun%, the %hell gun and the >inche%ter gun (cf9 1991
&nfor"ation 0lea%e 1l"anac, *oughton MiFin, +o%ton)9
an age of material progress (thi% la!el i% the con%e=uence of the for"er one) hich
con%tantl) %ought to acco""odate the de"ogra$hic and en(iron"ental change% %o
a% to allo other area% of life to 7ee$ $ace ith "aterial $rogre%%9 #ducation, for
e-a"$le, a% torn !eteen the old and the ne li!eral "odel% a% a tool for
controlling, in a di%ci$lined and !ene(olentG$rogre%%i(e a), the "ind% of $eo$le
and "a7e the" Et "e"!er% of the ne %ociet)9 (,ee the lecture% on the "odel% in
education in the nineteenth centur))
an age of considerable environmental changeH the change of the countr)%ide and
the cit) ali7e9 Quite often, a $lain ould !e %$ectacularl) tran%for"ed into a can)on
!) the %$routing raila)% hich cut through "eado% in de$th or cut tunnel%
through the "ountain%H all the%e %ite change% a"ounted to a %$ecial 7ind of
en(iron"ental e(ent% thought orth) of !eing cele!rated in or7 %ong% a!out the
na(ie% (or raila) or7er%) and their $roe%% in ta"ing nature (a% the the"e $ar7
fol7lore de"on%trate% toda), in the "o%t recent and fa%hiona!le 7ind of
"u%eogra$hical e-hi!ition in +ritain, ai"ed at recreating the co""oner%8 e(er)da)
life in the regional +riti%h near $a%t)9 Ar!ani5ation !eca"e o(erriding, ith the
di%$lace"ent of the rural $o$ulation in the "a%%9 &n literature, thi% a% reIected !)
the no%talgic re"e"!erance of the rural $a%t in =uite a nu"!er of %ucce%%, or
%i"$l) re$re%entati(e, Victorian no(el%, %uch a% the "aJorit) of /eorge #liot8%
no(el% or the rural gentr) and fa"il) chronicle% that %$aned into a $icture%=ue
Victorian genre9
the frst mass age in history, the precursor, of the 20
th
century mass society (a
%ociological la!el)
an age of liberal reforms meant to strengthen the economically liberal state (a la!el
that de"on%trate% the connection !eteen econo") and $olitic%) Li!eral $olitic% i%
"iddle cla%% $olitic% ith little regard for the loer cla%%e% (fro" a $o$uli%t or
%ocial-de"ocratic (ie$oint thi% could !e %een a% a 6cruel6 %tateH it did not
!other to "anage the intere%t% of other than the ca$itali%tic entre$reneur%
and did not interfere ith the "ar7et9 4he la!el for the Victorian or li!eral
%tate a% a non-interventionist state, do"inated !) "ercantile free "ar7et
a regulation%9 &t a% !a%ed on the $olitical doctrine of laissez-faire that
ga(e free reign to the $ri(ate ca$itali%tic enter$ri%e ithout regard to the
$u!lic elfare9 4hu%, the li!eral legi%lation a% dou!le-edgedH $rotectioni%t,
for the ca$itali%tic, entre$reneurial cla%% and i"$o(eri%hing hen not %i"$l)
indiKerent or e(en o$$re%%i(e toard% the or7ing cla%%
- la% hich enfranchised the "an of $ro$ert), called 62efor" +ill%6, %ince the)
co"$letel) changed the (oting =ualiEcation% at the !eginning fro" no"inal to real
$ro$ert) =ualiEcation% !) eli"inating the old 6rotten6 !orough% and the
a$$oint"ent of con%tituencie% !) ro)al charter9 4he 2efor" +ill of 183?
enfranchi%ed all the "ale oner% of $ro$ert) orth at lea%t 10 $ound% in annual
rent@ the 2efor" +ill of 18'7 dou!led the nu"!er of (oter%@ and the 188: +ill
!rought a!out the uni(er%al "ale enfranchi%e"ent9 4he $arlia"entar) !attle a%
fought throughout the 19
th
centur) !eteen the re$re%entati(e% of the to $olitical
$artie%, the Li!eral% and the .on%er(ati(e%, ith >illia" #art /lad%tone,
nic7na"ed 64he Old Man6, at the head of the Li!eral 0art) and four ti"e% at the
head of the e-ecuti(e a% the +riti%h 0ri"e Mini%ter, !eteen 18'8-7:, 1880-8<,
188<-' and 189?-3@ the other "andate% ere held for the .on%er(ati(e% !) ,ir
2o!ert 0eel, Er%t, then !) +enJa"in Li%raeli, Queen Victoria8% friend and +riti%h
0ri"e Mini%ter !eteen 187:-18809 4he to $artie% are al%o di%tingui%hed !) their
foreign $olic), in %o far a% the 4orie% ad(ocated a 6!ig #ngland6, i"$erial $olic),
hile the Li!eral% ere the 6little #ngland6 $art)9
- property-strenghthening and free-trade measures re=uired !) a %ucce%%ful
$olitical "achine "eant to %u%tain the 7ind of $rogre%% a%%ociated ith the +riti%h
$oer in control of a nel) indu%trial econo") and a "odern e"$ire9 4hu%, in 18:',
the old .orn la% ere re$ealed, hich had oKered $rotectioni%t tariK% for +riti%h
agriculture9 4hi% a% the $re-re=ui%ite for eKecti(el) %ecuring free trade, !) 18'09
- the 1830 .atholic #"anci$ation "eant the modernization of the British
polity no ca$a!le of "a7ing alloance for other than it% on 2efor"ed, 1nglican
$olitical for"ation% 9 1 %i"ilar "oderni5ation e"!raced the +riti%h $olit) %er(ice%
and in%titution%, than7% to the "ea%ure% $a%%ed !) /lad%tone8% ad"ini%tration
during the 18'8-187: "andate9 (,ee the rele(ant cha$ter in /9 M9 4re(el)an8%
6&llu%trated *i%tor) of #ngland6 for a $ertinent di%cu%%ion of the Li!eral
"oderni5ation of the +riti%h in%titution%, including the religiou% and "ilitar) one%)9
- refor"% in education, refor"i%" "eant that e%%ential education a% generali%ed,
%o that the 1870 Education Act o$ened the a) to generalised literacy in
+ritain9 +) 1871, the abolition of the university tests (irtuall) tran%for"ed the
leading uni(er%itie% of O-ford and .a"!ridge into la), "etro$olitan, 6uni(er%ali%t6
uni(er%itie%9
- $u!lic ad"ini%tration and "unici$al "anage"ent refor"%, hich created town
councils in%tead of rotten !orough% and heightened the =uality of urban life 1% a
re%ult, hat e 7no toda) a% roughl) "odern cit) life !eca"e a realit) tran%lated
into higher li(ing %tandard% and the increa%ed nu"!er of co""oditie%9 4he
Victorian $eriodical, %eriali%ed $a"$hlet%, the for"al di%cour%e%, not to "ention the
Ection and %atirical docu"ent% of the age retain nu"erou% trace% of the e(entful
addition to citie% of $u!lic !ath% and laundrie%, "u%eu"%, li!rarie% ($u!lic reading
roo"%), $ar7%, $u!lic garden% and later tra"%, ga% and electricit) facilitie% or ater
netor7%9
an age of social unrest in the mass section of the society the $o(ert) $ro!le"
hich re$re%ented the re(er%e of the great i"$erial and colonial coin,
included in the Victorian age the $a%%ing of a nu"!er of $oor la%, %uch a%
the 183: 0oor La 1"end"ent hich created the or7hou%e% or $ri%on% in
di%gui%e for containing hat a% con%idered to !e, at the ti"e, the %ocial
%cu" of the %treet (illain%9 4he $oor %treet $o$ulation literall) haunted the
Lic7en%ian i"aginar) in %o "an) of hi% )outhful no(el%9 4he .harti%t
Mo(e"ent of 183'18<: $ro(ed that !e)ond the "iddle-cla%% "odern
$aradi%e there reigned %u$re"e %ocial chao%9 Dor al"o%t the entire Er%t half
of the age, the Victorian "a%%e% de"on%trated in the %treet% and %ent
$etition% of right% (chart%) %igned !) e(er-increa%ing nu"!er% of $eo$le to
the leader% of the nation !ut the) ere ne(er li%tened to (the 18:0 .hart, for
e-a"$le, a% %igned !) o(er three "illion three hundred $eo$le ho
re=ue%ted for the loer cla%%e% $reci%el) hat ca"e to !e granted to the
"iddle cla%%e% in the cour%e of the centur))9 4hi% $rolonged %treet
de"on%tration re"ind% one of the long de"on%tration for de"ocrac) in
+uchare%t, in the 0iata Ani(er%itatii ,=uare at the !eginning of the 1990%)@
under .harti%t in%$iration, there ere organi%ed %tri7e%, %uch a% the Er%t
general %tri7e of 18:? !ut all the%e got $racticall) nohere and had to
continue their 6Eght6 !) the !etter organi%ed trade-unioni%t "o(e"ent of
the 18'0% and 1870% (after the re$eal of the .o"!ination 1ct%, hich had
for!idden gathering% of riotou% $eo$le, in the a7e of the Drench 2e(olution
!eteen 1799, i9e9, and 18?:)9 4hi% $ro(ed that there e-i%ited (irtuall) 6to
nation%6 in +ritain, a% +enJa"in Li%raeli $ut it, the rich and the $oor9 4he rich
$a%%ed and enacted =uite a !ig nu"!er of con%i%tent la% for the $oor, !ut it
a$$ear% that the for"er ere too !u%il) engro%%ed in their !u%ine%% to
de(ote enough attention or re%ource% to re%cuing the $oor9 4he Dactor) 1ct%
of the $eriod 18331878, hoe(er, eli"inated child la!our and gro%%
o(eror7ing in factorie%9 ,o"e %u$$ort a% granted al%o !) the
go(ern"ent8% 0u!lic *ealth 1ct% of 1871 187< hich granted %o"e
"ea%ure of "edical a%%i%tance to the $oor a% ell9 ,till, for all the echoe% of
the %ocial unre%t and unhealth) li(ing condition% of the $oor in the $rinted
Victorian "edia, including the literature of the age, the 1880% %a the ri%e of
"ore radical %ocial "o(e"ent%, %uch a% the ide-%$read %ociali%" of the
Da!ian !rand or the uto$ian %ociali%" of the intellectual% (cf9 Martin La)H 61
*i%tor) of #ngli%h Literature9 1837 to the 0re%ent6, Lou!leda), ;e Mor7,
19':, the cha$ter on Victorian $ro%e) and of Mar-ian co""uni%", %o"e
ti"e after the $u!lication of the .o""uni%t 0art) Manife%to !) Barl Mar-, in
18<99 +) 1903, the ,ociali%t La!our 0art) had al%o !een for"ed a% a
$otential o$$o%ition force on the $olitical %tage9