Why did Great Britain remain the most liberally progressive of the European states throughout the 19TH CENTURY

Question

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Answer 1

You probably wouldn't think it liberally progressive by today's standards. There was much poverty, infant mortality, class distinctions long, long hours of hard work, disenfranchised women - just read Dickens. However, it was probably better than many other countries because of an educated (male) middle class who were able to influence events through the vote, a Parliament which was mature, having been in existence in a form we would know today (parties, Prime Minister, Cabinet etc) for the best part of 100 years. There was also what is known as the 'non-conformist conscience' - many of this middle class were Quakers, Methodists etc., who felt a moral and religious duty to care for those less well off than themselves. This ideal moved on to the established Church of England, so there was a large body of people caring for the poor, orphaned children etc. Furthermore, structures were in place to allow for individual enterprise - the raising of capital by entrepreneurs through joint stock companies, for example, and a mature banking system.