Causes of Post War Distress and Discontent

Question 1

Agricultural

Answer 1

• Enclosure: Landless had nowhere to graze their animals or supplement their diet.
• Increase in rural population: Competition for jobs = lower wages. Competition for land/houses = higher rents.
• Speenhamland System: Farmers cut wages and poor rate doubled.
• New Machinery: De-skilling = lower wages and unemployment

EXAMPLE: Littleport and Ely Riots(1816)

Question 2

Industrial

Answer 2

• Urbanization: Competition for jobs and houses = lower wages and higher rents.
• Poor living and working conditions: Epidemics e.g. cholera, long working hours.
• Truck system: Wages partly paid in tokens = have to spend wages in company shop = higher prices and lower quality goods.
• New Machinery: De-skilling = lower wages and unemployment.

EXAMPLE: Luddite Riots(1811/12-1817); Spa Field Riots(1816)

Question 3

Lack of the Vote and Radical Press

Answer 3

• Majority of people couldn’t vote: Removed a peaceful means of protest
• Radical newspapers e.g. William Cobbett’s ‘Two Penny Trash’: Helped people make the connection between economic distress, misgovt and the need for Parliamentary Reform.

EXAMPLE: Cato Street conspiracy(1820); Shots fired at the Prince Regent(1817); Derbyshire and Pentrich Rising(1817), Radicals

Question 4

After Effects of the War

Answer 4

• Price of corn fell: lowering of agricultural labourers’ wages + unemployment
• Protective Tariffs by European Govts: British exports fell by 30% = fewer jobs
• Loss of orders worth £50 million: fewer jobs/unemployment e.g. 1/2 blast furnaces closed down
• 1/3 million men discharged from the army + navy: flooded an already congested labour market i.e. not enough jobs to go round

EXAMPLE: March of the Balnketeers

Question 5

Government Policies

Answer 5

• Maintain law and order: rather than resolving the causes of post war distress and discontent e.g. Six Acts (1819), Suspension of Habeas Corpus(1817)
• Sometimes made a bad situation worse: e.g. corn laws = increased the price of bread = had negative effect on w/c (class legislation). Abolition of income tax = shifted tax burden onto the poor through indirect taxes
• Use of Govt spies, informers and agent provocatives: No police force

EAMPLE: Peterloo Massacre(1819)

Question 6

Conclusion

Answer 6

• Economic reasons i.e. post war economic slump
  USE
  William Cobbett’s quote: ‘I defy you to agitate a fellow with a full stomach’