until 1832 scottish politics remained very much in the control of landowners in the country, and of small cliques of merchants in the burghs. agitation against this position through the friends of the people society in the 1790s met with lord braxfield's explicit repression on behalf of the landed interests. the scottish reform act 1832 rearranged the constituencies and increased the electorate from under 5,000 to 65,000. the representation of the people (scotland) act 1868 extended the electorate to 232,000 but with "residential qualifications peculiar to scotland". however, by 1885 around 50% of the male population had the vote, the secret ballot had become established, and the modern political era had started.