How accurate is it to say that Luddism in the year 1811-17 was remarkably similar to the Swing Riots that took place in the years 1830-31? (2018)

Question 1

What are the 4 factors we’re comparing in this essay?

Answer 1

Causes
Methods
Responses
Successes

Question 2

ST Luddism: When was the closure of the American Market? What happened?

Answer 2

1811.
Led to £11 million exports in 1810 dropping to £2 million by 1831.
Caused conflict between US and UK over British violation of US Maritime rights, 1812 war began.
Led to economic repercussions- rapid unemployment growth, wage cuts.

Question 3

What was the long term causes of Luddism?

Answer 3

Increased use of unskilled labour, Napoleon’s (British) blockage between 1806-1814, and the introduction of frame rents.

Question 4

How did the introduction of frame rents harm workers, increasing luddism?

Answer 4

Frame rents were a way of suppressing wages.
Those without a frame, were outcompeted by those with.
Had to pay a business to get a frame… low wages!!

Question 5

What was the short term cause of the Swing Riots?

Answer 5

In 1830, there were 2 consecutive poor harvests.
Hunger politics!

Question 6

What was the long term cause of Swing Riots?

Answer 6

Threshing machines reduced winter employment… did the work of 15 men!

Question 7

Overall comparison of the causes for luddism and swing riots?

Answer 7

Luddite riots were caused by both internal British factors with the machine introduction, and the effect of foreign attitudes with war.
Both were influenced to an extent by wage depression from machinery.

Question 8

How long did luddism last?

Answer 8

6 years (1811-17).

Question 9

What did luddites do to Nottingham employers?

Answer 9

Sent threatening letters.

Question 10

In 3 weeks, how many stocking frames did luddites destroy?

Answer 10

200

Question 11

When and how many frames were destroyed in Nottingham? How much damage?

Answer 11

February 1812.
1,000 frames destroyed.
Up to £10k damage.

Question 12

How long did Swing Riots last?

Answer 12

2 years.

Question 13

How much £ damage did Swing Riots result in?

Answer 13

£600 by riots.
£100k arson damage.

Question 14

What did the threatening letters from the Swing Riots say to landowners?

Answer 14

They would break machines or set fire to hayricks if they refused.

Question 15

Why did the Swing Riots kill livestock?

Answer 15

To send a point to employers/landowners.

Question 16

Overall, what were the similarities of methods used by luddism and Swing Riots?

Answer 16

Both sent threatening letters to place pressure.
Both caused varying degrees of economic damage.
Both involved high violence levels.

Question 17

Overall, what were the differences of methods used by luddism and Swing Riots?

Answer 17

Luddites resulted in murder, but Swing Riots refrained from this.

Question 18

When and what did Spencer Perceval do as a response to Luddism?

Answer 18

February 1812.
Proposed machine breaking to be made a capital offence and increased charges for Luddite behavior- to try to discourage it.

1817- frame breaking made punishable my death!

Question 19

In Luddism response, in Lancashire, how many men were killed/transported in 1812?

Answer 19

18 killed, 13 transported.

Question 20

In response, how many troops were sent to Luddite active areas?

Answer 20

12,000

Question 21

In response to the Swing Riots, how many were sentenced to death/transported?

Answer 21

252 sentenced to death, 505 transported.

Question 22

Why did Swing Riots cause more fear?

Answer 22

In the south, in constituencies of most MPs, closer to London.
Not ignorable… likely affected Parliament!

Question 23

Overall, what were the differences in responses to luddism and Swing Riots?

Answer 23

SR results in much higher death/transportation level.
Luddism was responded by making machine breaking punishable by death.
SR likely more effective in making change in Parliament… efforts and geography.

Question 24

What was a success of Luddism?

Answer 24

Provoked a large response!

Question 25

What were the failures of Luddism?

Answer 25

No central organising force for riots, made easier for government to stop.
Army of spies and troops used to contain them.
Movement was defeated.

Question 26

What were the successes of the Swing Riots?

Answer 26

Represented one of the last radical movements.
Long term impact: could have influence over parliament legislation including 1833 Factory Act and Poor Law Amendment Act 1834.

Question 27

What were the failures of the Swing Riots?

Answer 27

Met with harsh legal response.
Short term failed.

Question 28

What were the similarities in the successes/failures of luddism and the Swing Riots?

Answer 28

Both short term failures.

Question 29

What were the differences in the successes/failures of luddism and the Swing Riots?

Answer 29

SR longer term impacts more positive in enacting change.