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The beginning of the Liberal Party goes back to the end of the 17th century as it descended from Whigs, an opposition to the Tory Party in Parliament. Officially it was formed in 1877. During the second half of the 19th century many working people looked to the Liberal Party to provide a policy different from that of the Tory Party and their supporters. So in the middle of the 19th century the Liberals represented the trading and manufacturing classes, supported by popular elements, who pressed for social reforms and extension of the franchise.. "Civil and Religious Liberty" was taken as the Party's slogan. For long periods up to 1914 the Liberals had a parliamentary majority. While in power they introduced a number of reforms and innovations including free elementary education.
After World War I the Liberal Party was growing weaker, many representatives of the working class and bourgeoisie were leaving the liberals. Having suffered several defeats at the elections the party could never overcome the blow. It declined rapidly as a parliamentary force, its place being taken by the Labour Party which has become an opposition and alternative government to the Conservatives.
In 1988 the Liberal Party merged with the new Social Democratic Party forming the Liberal Democrats.
Notes to the text:
franchise – избирательное право
to decline – идти на убыль, уменьшаться
Task 12. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations: происходить, сторонник, добиваться социальных реформ, вводить, представитель, терпеть поражение на выборах, преодолевать, сливаться (соединяться).
Task 13. What verbs are the following words formed from?
Beginning, different, supporter, manufacturing, extension, representative, election, government, opposition.
Task 14. Answer the questions:
1. What is the origin of the Liberal Party?
2. What were the political priorities of the party?
3. What happened to the Liberal Party after World War I?
4. Does the Liberal Party exist nowadays?
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