Britain During the Age of Nationalism (Ch.25)

With the rest of the continent in politic upheaval, Britain seemed to be the only country to maintain a peaceful and successful political evolution. A two-party parliament guided the country smoothly from liberalism to democracy, in contrast to many other European nations such as Germany, France, and Russia. British electoral campaigns became more modern with widespread voting, from the lower to upper class. The Reform Bill of 1884 gave virtually every adult male the right to vote, moving Britain even closer to a full-fledged democracy. Still, the unanswered question of Ireland loomed large in British policies. The Irish famine created unrest in Ireland and fueled revolution, forcing Britain to give certain concessions. Ireland was split between those of the south who supported home rule, and the north which highly opposed it. Britain failed to capture and control that elemental current of national feeling in Ireland, and the struggling nation moved closer to self-government. However, the momentous Irish question would be overthrown by the rising conflict shaking Europe, later named World War I.