During the early 18th century (a period of relative prosperity
and stability), the Commons gradually gained influence
relative to the Lords, especially in matters of taxation and
finance. The Whigs, successful in the 1716 elections,
sought to increase this influence by introducing the
Septennial Act, which prolonged the life of Parliament
from three to seven years.
This gave them time to develop their two main policies:
lowered taxes to attract the support of the landed gentry, and
religious toleration to gain the support of nonconformists. However by doing this, they also created the conditions for increased corruption in the political system - as voters lost interest, and members of the Commons came to depend heavily on the support of landlords for their seats.
