Rotten and pocket boroughs

The term rotten borough (English dilapidated district) stands for constituencies in the Kingdom of England (before 1707), the Kingdom of Great Britain ( 1707-1801 ), the Kingdom of Ireland ( 1541-1801 ) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ( 1801 ) had so few residents that they were over-represented in Parliament.

This came about because constituencies were for centuries not adapted to the population development. The concept emerged in the 18th century, because this has not been seen as a serious problem. A rotten borough was a town ( borough ) with very few voters. As a pocket boroughs (about pocket- district) called one constituencies that were so small that a powerful landowners could control the seat in parliament.

Rotten boroughs

Because the size and layout of the constituencies were not adapted to the population, it could happen, a deputy representing that very few people ( whereby the constituency was strongly over-represented ). Thus, it was easily possible to buy all the votes for the election of Members of Parliament or intimidate voters accordingly ( the choice was public).

Overrepresented Stark were as Old Sarum in Wiltshire with eleven voters, Newtown on the Isle of Wight with 23 voters, Lostwithiel in Cornwall with 24 and Dunwich in Suffolk with 32 voters. Each of these boroughs could delegate two. Many of these rotten boroughs were controlled by peers that the seat of her sons " inherited ". So it could happen that the father in the House of Lords and the son sat in the House of Commons. Rotten boroughs were mostly places that had once played an important economic or political role, however, had lost its meaning. Old Sarum was, for example, been a flourishing city during the 12th century.

Cities such as Manchester, which had grown rapidly during industrialization, however, did not own representatives, but were from members of the County represented (in this case Lancashire ).

At the general election in 1831, a total of 406 deputies were elected to the 204 constituencies in England. 76 of these constituencies with 152 elected members of parliament had fewer than 100 voters, and 44 electoral districts with 88 elected members had less than 50 voters.

Pocket boroughs

In the pocket boroughs, parliamentary representation was of one or more "patron " controlled. They could display their power by the nominated candidate acceptable to them, given civil rights or paying bribes. In some cases a rich person could even control multiple constituencies. The Duke of Newcastle was said that he had " in his pocket " had seven boroughs.

The end of the rotten boroughs

In the 19th century, numerous steps have been taken to abolish the rotten boroughs and bring about a more equal representation. The Reform Act 1832 disappeared 57 boroughs rotten. The weight shifted from above represented the rural South to the industrial cities of the North. Many of the pocket boroughs, however, remained until the Reform Act made ​​in 1867, in which it was agreed, in principle, to distribute seats according to population. Subsequent legislation increased the electorate and created the Boundary Commission, the size of the constituencies checked at regular intervals and adapting.

The introduction of the secrecy of the ballot in 1872 made ​​it the patron impossible to control the voice of an individual voter. For the first time ever, the voters were free and did not have to take the wishes of the land or homeowner's consideration. Simultaneously, the " courting " the electorate was banned by gifts of money or fancy entertainment.

Modern use

Today the term rotten borough used for a constituency in which a particular political party enjoys such a high support, that the candidate is elected practically without significant competition. A polite euphemism for this phenomenon is "safe seat " (safe seat ).

Sometimes the term is also used for a person or family who has represented the same area for a long time. Even with a change of party voters of such constituencies remained faithful to their deputies. As rotten boroughs and departments of city government are called, who are supposed or proven corrupt.