The Politics of the Whigs in Opposition, 1834-1835
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10066694 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Abraham D Kriegel (corresponding author) |
| Year | 1968 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 65-91 |
| Publication date | 1968-05-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of British Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0021-9371 • E-ISSN: 1545-6986 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1086/385553 |
| OpenAlex | W2035272795 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 4 |
From their dismissal in November 1834 to their return to power in April 1835, the Whig Party was confronted with the problem of how to function effectively in opposition and, ultimately, return to power. This problem contained a dilemma which disquieted the aristocratic leaders of Whiggery. The party could conform to a tradition that regarded association with more “radical” groups as contrary to its principles; or it could join the Radicals and Repealers in an attempt to overthrow the new Tory Government. Such was the choice that underlay the politics of the Whigs in the winter of 1834-35. Historians have considered the “honorable” nature of the Lichfield House Compact and its strictly political consequences. One interpretation emphasizes the Whigs' dependence upon Daniel O'Connell and the Repealers during the second Melbourne administration. Another, perhaps closer to the truth, suggests that the Repealers rather than the Whigs became the captive party. The significance of the Lichfield House Compact is distorted when its political consequences, however immediate, are emphasized. It is best understood as a commentary on the immediate past. The question to be considered is how and why the Whig Party was maneuvered into its association with Radicals and Repealers. It must be examined in terms of the party's disunity and the temporary, if propitious, ineffectiveness of spokesmen of traditional Whiggery who could proffer no alternative means to return to power
Dilemma · Dismissal · Epistemology · Opposition (politics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Sociology · Australian History and Society · Historical Economic and Social Studies · Law · Philosophy · Scottish History and National Identity
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.04 |
| Citation span | 1971 - 1973 (3) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |