Why is Robert Peel important?

Britain – Politics, 1830-46

In this course, Professor Jeremy Black (University of Exeter) discusses politics from 1830 to 1846. In the first module, we look at why Robert Peel was important. Then, we look at what the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829 says about Peel’s attitude to reform. After this, we look at how successful Peel was in opposition. Following this, we look at why the Corn Laws were such an important issue in the 1840s. In the penultimate module, we look at why Peel repealed the Corn Laws in 1846. Finally, we look at what the legacy of Peel and the repeal of the Corn Laws was.

Why is Robert Peel important?

In this module, we look at why Robert Peel was important. In particular, we focus on the key questions: (i) What was the political landscape after the Great Reform Act and before Chartism?; (ii) How did the Melbourne and Peel governments respond to the challenges of a rapidly industrialising society?; (iii) What role did Robert Peel play in shaping Conservative ideology and policy during this time?; (iv) How did political ideologies and party dynamics evolve in response to societal changes?; and (v) What were the major challenges and divisions within the Conservative Party, and how did these impact Robert Peel’s leadership?