How Could the Walpolean Oligarchy Be at Once Exclusive and Stable?

The force and longevity of the Whig dominance of politics in Britain at this time, culminating in Walpole's record term of office, created the most clearly defined period of oligarchical rule in British history. The 'Whig oligarchy' created a powerful and potentially dangerous division in the country, as the Tories were kept from office year after year. With such exclusion, there was real danger of resultant instability as the excluded party sought extra-parliamentary routes to power. The spectre of Jacobitism haunted the political nation throughout the period. Furthermore, the length of the Whig dominance meant that the exclusion of Tories extended beyond the centre of power to social institutions as well. Economically powerful Tory landowners were embittered by the Whig dominance of local and central duties which their rank and acreage would normally have commanded. This disgruntlement, caused by their exclusion from many aspects of political, social and even economic life led to virulent parliamentary criticism, even flirtation with extra-parliamentary dissidence.…