In 1832, Britain came close to revolution. Less than twenty years separate the Battle of Waterloo from the passage of the Great Reform Act, but in that time Britain's political elite has been challenged like never before. In meeting this challenge, the political elite attempted, with considerable success, to achieve this. Thomas C. Ertman. History, Political Science. Comparative political studies. This article focuses on the brief period 1828–1835 of intense political change in the years immediately before and after the Great Reform Act, as a critical moment in the process of British democratization. The History Learning Site, 27. 27. Although the Reform Act is sometimes known as the Great Reform Act, its impact was relatively minor in terms of who could vote once the law passed. There was strong opposition to the Reform Act, so any changes had to be careful in the area,