Artisan's and Labourers' Dwellings Improvement Act 1875
Encyclopedia
The Artisans' and Labourers' Dwellings Improvement Act 1875 was an Act
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
designed by Richard Cross
, Home Secretary
during Prime Minister
Benjamin Disraeli's second Conservative
Government, which involved allowing local councils
to buy up areas of slum dwelling in order to clear it and then rebuild. Part of Disraeli's social reform aimed at his "elevation of the people" (the working class
) policy stated in his 1872 speeches at Manchester
and Crystal Palace
, when campaigning
for the 1874 General Election
against William Ewart Gladstone
. Also ties in with One Nation Conservatism
, a key part of Disraelian Conservatism
.
. Councils were not compelled to take action and, due to the obvious cost involved, few did. In fact by 1881, only 10 out of 87 towns in England
and Wales
used their permitted powers. The most notable major redevelopment occurred in Birmingham
under the Prominent, Radical Liberal Member of Parliament
, Joseph Chamberlain
, founder of the National Liberal Federation
. There, it led to the creation of Corporation Street
; overall however, it proved ineffective.
against making it compulsory. Also, it may have seen to have been an attack on landlords, traditional Tory voters. As well as this, it was passed in a time where the Government adopted a predominately laissez faire attitude to politics. Disraeli proclaimed in June 1875: "Permissive legislation is the characteristic of a free people".
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
designed by Richard Cross
R. A. Cross, 1st Viscount Cross
Richard Assheton Cross, 1st Viscount Cross, GCB, GCSI, PC, FRS , known before his elevation to the peerage as R. A. Cross, was a British statesman and Conservative politician...
, Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
during Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Benjamin Disraeli's second Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Government, which involved allowing local councils
Local government in the United Kingdom
The pattern of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England is decided by the Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom, because England does not have a devolved...
to buy up areas of slum dwelling in order to clear it and then rebuild. Part of Disraeli's social reform aimed at his "elevation of the people" (the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
) policy stated in his 1872 speeches at Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace, London
Crystal Palace is a residential area in south London, England named from the former local landmark, The Crystal Palace, which occupied the area from 1854 to 1936. The area is located approximately 8 miles south east of Charing Cross, and offers impressive views over the capital...
, when campaigning
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
for the 1874 General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
against William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
. Also ties in with One Nation Conservatism
One Nation Conservatism
One nation, one nation conservatism, and Tory democracy are terms used in political debate in the United Kingdom to refer to a certain wing of the Conservative Party...
, a key part of Disraelian Conservatism
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
.
Terms
- Compel owners of slum dwelling to sell to councils, who must provide compensation.
- Take advantage of lower than normal interest rates from the Government.
- Demolish the areas of slum housing to be redeveloped by commercial builders.
Importance
Considered one of most significant acts of Disraeli's administration (he said it was their "chief measure") the act was a classic example of permissive legislation that typified Disraeli's social policySocial policy
Social policy primarily refers to guidelines, principles, legislation and activities that affect the living conditions conducive to human welfare. Thus, social policy is that part of public policy that has to do with social issues...
. Councils were not compelled to take action and, due to the obvious cost involved, few did. In fact by 1881, only 10 out of 87 towns in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
used their permitted powers. The most notable major redevelopment occurred in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
under the Prominent, Radical Liberal Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
, founder of the National Liberal Federation
National Liberal Federation
The National Liberal Federation was the union of all English and Welsh Liberal Associations. It held an annual conference which was regarded as being representative of the opinion of the party’s rank and file and was broadly the equivalent of a present-day party conference.-Foundation:The...
. There, it led to the creation of Corporation Street
Corporation Street, Birmingham
Corporation Street is a main shopping street in Birmingham city centre, England.It runs from the law courts at its northern end to the centre of New Street at its southern.- Planning :...
; overall however, it proved ineffective.
Permissiveness
There are several reasons why the act was permissive, the main one being the protection of property rights. Many felt the act was an infringement of such rights, including many within the party, who pressurized Richard CrossRichard Cross
Professor Richard Alan Cross is Rev. John A. O'Brien Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Philosophy Department at the University of Notre Dame...
against making it compulsory. Also, it may have seen to have been an attack on landlords, traditional Tory voters. As well as this, it was passed in a time where the Government adopted a predominately laissez faire attitude to politics. Disraeli proclaimed in June 1875: "Permissive legislation is the characteristic of a free people".