Course Resources Archive

Focusing on the intense personal and political rivalry between Gladstone and Disraeli (c.1845-1881) this module charts the ideologies, policies and fortunes of the Liberal and Conservative parties, together with an exploration of the rise of the Labour Party. Foregrounding competing perspectives on domestic policy, international relations and the Empire, the study of high Victorian politics will be contextualised by the exploration of the broader intellectual and cultural climate of the age.

The module begins with an exploration of high Victorian understandings of society, identities and race following the publication of Darwin’s Origin of Species. Topics studied may include: the extent to which there was a Darwinian Revolution; scientific developments (Social Darwinism, Eugenics); racial theory (Knox, Keane) and the persistence of non-racial accounts of human differentiation; class formations and relations; and the impact of fears of degeneration on responses to poverty.

Building on the analysis of the intellectual and socio-cultural history of the period, the contrasting personalities and policies of Gladstone and Disraeli will be examined within this context. Topics studied may include: the role of Christian and moral virtue in Gladstone’s world-view; Disraeli’s understanding of the importance of imagination in politics; and the concept of ‘Tory Democracy’. The module also covers the emergence of the Labour Party against the backdrop of the late-Victorian Reform Acts and the rise of new trade unions.

Having explored domestic policy, students will also be introduced to aspects of British foreign policy and Imperialism. Topics studied include: Irish Home Rule; Imperial Federation; the Great Eastern Crisis; the Afghan and Zulu wars; New Imperialism; and socialist critiques of Empire. Key debates will concern the extent to which the Victorians were “absent-minded imperialists”.

A student passing this module should be able to demonstrate that they:

1. Possess a critical understanding of later Victorian understandings of race and competing theories of human differentiation.
2. Have acquired knowledge of the political history of the Liberal, Conservative and Labour parties in the Victorian period.
3. Appreciate the significance of issues of religion, class, and progress in the context of Victorian domestic and foreign policy.
4. Have detailed understanding of the relationship(s) between the British people and the Empire.
5. Have the ability to evaluate primary source materials (including texts, audio and visual materials) and historical documents.
6. Can communicate clearly in written form and verbally

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.