In the Kingdom of Hanover, the development of the constitution was initially characterized by the old estate system since 1814 and later underwent a neo-estate transformation. Although it received a modernization boost in 1848, it suffered a more conservative setback in 1855 than other German states. Overall, numerous restrictions and significant government interventions marked the electoral process in the Kingdom of Hanover from 1848 to 1866: the principle of total representation was rendered absurd. It was only when the political bourgeoisie recognized that only through close cooperation could shared political objectives and a nationwide organizational structure bring about changes in political matters, that a significant foundation for the arrival of modernity in the Kingdom of Hanover was established. The personality of Rudolf von Bennigsen and the efforts of the Progressive Party were indispensable in this process.