HISTORY

The EVOLUTION of the CABINET SYSTEM and rise of ROBERT WALPOLE

as the first “PRIME MINISTER”
OUTLINE:

1. The PRIVY COUNCIL

2. The STAR CHAMBER
3. The CABINET
4. Robert Walpole as the first Prime Minister

PART 1: How did this cabinet system evolved?

 What is Cabinet?
 Privy and star are the ancestor
 Cabinet system evolved from privy and star
 What is privy council?
o Secret/ Private body which assist the crown
o When it was created?
 William the conqueror
 England was politically unified for the first time in 1066 by the NORMAN
WARRIOR- who are the mixture of FRANKS, NORS VIKINGS, GALLO-
ROMANS, William the conqueror
 He built the privy council
 It still exists
o It was highly strengthened in Henry VII. Before his reign Privy council used to perform/
cover – legislature, Administration and Justice. But the king divided its duty. And its task
become to render justice to the aristocrats to make them answerable.
o Elizabeth, I had 50 advisors in her Privy council at the beginning and she excluded the
number in 11 and since then the number of the advisors never crossed 15.
o Henry VII made sure to harness its power by dividing it task.
 What is Star Chamber?
o The term was first found in the document of 1398.
o It was name after a room in the palace of Westminster.
 Westminster is the Houses of parliament (since 1016)
 Its style of architecture is Gothics- pointed square.
o It was a secret chamber.
o 1487- It became more important than the privy council.
o Henry VII used it to run the govt. and take important decisions for administration.
o In the age of Stuart’s, it became corrupted, it became trial chamber
o 1640- Charles was forced to call parliament ( for 11 years it didn’t set) and abolished the
star chamber.

PART 2: How did the post of “Prime Minister” evolved?

 Background of Robert Walpole
o Law of primogeniture
 Dependency of George I
o That made him powerful and also a subject of mockery.
 George I and II hated each other.
 Queen Caroline
o 1721- Huge financial Scandal
 South sea bubble
 The south sea companies
 Slave trading company
 RW manipulated parliament to keep the queen out of it and it effected the
relationship of him and George II
 Westminster palace, in reality, was a personal gift from George II to RW but he
decided to turn into a residence of the PM, (#10, down street)
 He stayed PM for 29 years
 He is famous and known for:
o Established
o Safeguard Hanoverian succession
o Defended the principles of glorious revolution
o Found a way to establish relationship between the crown and parliament.