Formed mid 19th century with origins in the old Whig Party
One of the two main parties (along with the Conservative Party) until the emergence of the
Labour Party in the early 20th century
Favoured free trade and was largely the party of towns and cities whilst the Conservatives were
the party of the countryside
William Gladstone- renowned 19th century Liberal Prime Minister
The Liberal Party contained the Radicals who pushed for political and social reform
Classical Liberalism
Free market economics
Free trade
Small state that upholds individual freedoms but otherwise encourages self-autonomy
Gladstone’s governments set about extending political rights and educational opportunities to
non-Anglicans
Modern Liberals
Emerged early 20th century
Focus on equality of opportunity and social reform
‘New Liberal’ Government of 1906-1914 bought in Old Age Pensions, free-school meals and
medical inspections, National insurance, and payment of MPs
Meant public could save for catastrophes such as illness or unemployment, people of all
backgrounds could become MPs, and removed burden of providing for the elderly from the
younger generations
Keynes devised a new economic theory; the economy should be run by the government and
interfere so to achieve full employment
Beveridge Report 1942 became the basis for post-war consensus
Beveridge (Liberal Politician) identified “five Giants on the road to post-war reconstruction”-
want, disease, ignorance, squalor, and idleness
Although modern liberal ideas had a substantial impact on post-war politics, the post-war
consensus meant that the Conservative Party and the Labour Party also adopted these liberal
policies
The party became marginalised and fell to the sidelines of the Conservatives and Labour,
because voters switched to those parties
Alliance and Formation of the Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Party suffered due to the First Past the Post voting system
Although they made some gains in the early 60s and 70s, they never challenged the big two
parties
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