Resumen de Democracy, industrial modernity and the culture of parliamentary politics in Victorian Britain

Ryan Vieira

• This article explores a transformation of parliamentary politics in Victorian Britain, from a participatory parliamentary system to one increasingly dominated by ministerial control. It reveals the nuanced impact of heightened public visibility on MPs. As the gaze of an expanding electorate intensified, MPs faced a dual imperative: appearing industrious to constituents and contributing to efficient national governance. This dynamic, shaped by societal changes and media evolution, resulted in a conceptual separation of parliamentary ‘work’ and ‘talk,’ culminating in procedural reforms heralding the emergence of a more controlled ‘parliamentary machine'.