Debates Over Class, Gender + The Franchise

Question 1

What were the chartists and the class dimension?

Answer 1

-1832 chartists emerged as early pressure group for major political reform
-demanded adoption by parliament of the six points of the people’s charter
-for men with would have transformed Br into full democracy

Question 2

What were the six points of the people’s charter?

Answer 2

-all men vote irrespective of social class
-voting by secret ballot
-parliamentary elections every year not every 7 years but in 1911 to every 5 years
-equally sized constituencies
-MPs paid
-property qualification for becoming an mp abolished

Question 3

What were the main tactics of the chartists?

Answer 3

-submission to parliament of 3 petitions 1839, 1842 + 1848
-each petition contained up to 6 million signatures but each was rejected
-unsurprising why rejected as parliament was still dominated by landowning aristocracy
-violent protests associated with movement in turn violently put down by authorities

Question 4

What was the impact?

Answer 4

-movement collapsed soon after failure 1848 petition
-demand for annual elections met but other 5 points failed
-legacy of chartists influenced creation of other political movements such as reform league who pressured gov’t into passing second reform act 1867

Question 5

What were the chartists beliefs?

Answer 5

-concerned with ending aristocratic domination of politics
-believed wealthy ruled in own self interest e.g. no provision to help poor or u employed beyond horror of workhouses
-wanted power to be given to working class men to improve their lot
-saw reforms like vote extension, secret ballots + salaried MPs as vital if all men wanted participate equally in politics