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At the same time, wealthy philanthropists such as Jonas Hanway and Thomas Coram worked to help the poor and powerless but without challenging the inequalities that had created their situation.
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Nevertheless, there were continued demands for more of the (male) population to be allowed to vote, for changes in the electoral system so that 'rotten boroughs' (which could elect MPs despite having very few voters) would be dismantled, and for representation of the new industrial towns. The Tory government of the early 1800s lashed out and tried to suppress these demands, sometimes with force, but only succeeded in fanning the flames of revolution.
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It was this threat that convinced Parliament to pass the Reform Bill of 1832, which gave the vote to most middle-class men. It was a partial victory – universal franchise would not be achieved for another century – but it succeeded in undermining the clamour for radical change that would give everyone equal rights.
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