Rational Choice and the Victorian Voter (original) (raw)

This paper explores the evolution of voting behavior and party politics in Victorian Britain, particularly in the context of the Second Reform Act of 1867. It contrasts different historical interpretations of voter motivations, highlighting how local candidates and individual interests often superseded party ideology. By analyzing voting records and electoral patterns, the research reveals a shift toward clearer party ideologies and more structured party discipline in Parliament, which ultimately transformed the political landscape and led to the decline of the Liberal Party.