Popular discontent, in the years 1828 to 1848, was dependent on economic conditions.'

Question 1

INTRODUCTION

Answer 1

• popular discontent in the years 1828-1848 , such as Chartism, the ACLL, the repeal association and the political unions were all certainly motivated by economic discontent

Question 2

3 arguments FOR

Answer 2

• Poor harvests and frequent recessions, especially during the Hungry Forties often prompted popular discontent.
• Whilst the aims of examples of popular discontent were constitutional, with both seeking significant parliamentary reform, this in itself was geared towards achieving economic reprieve.
• Economic conditions in rural areas also promoted popular discontent with these years.

Question 3

FOR

Poor harvests and frequent recessions, especially during the Hungry Forties often prompted popular discontent.

EVIDENCE - 2

Answer 3

• 1829-1832 recession saw a spike in unemployment that led to the formation of political unions across the country, largely modelled on the Birmingham Political< Union that agitated for Parliamentary reform Motivated by unemployment
• The recessions of 1839,42 and 48 all prompted Chartist petitions in these years, which attracted millions of signatures, despite false signatures in all, and attracted mass meetings like that in Kennington common in 1848. The absence of any petition or violent protest like that of the Plug Plot Riots between 1842 and 1848 suggests how key economic distress was to motivating popular discontent.

Question 4

FOR

Whilst the aims of examples of popular discontent were constitutional, with both seeking significant parliamentary reform, this in itself was geared towards achieving economic reprieve.

EVIDENCE - 3

Answer 4

• The Chartist petition attracted the support of the poorest in society who were most concerned with economic ruin. The first petition alone collected 1.2 million signatures, followed by 3.3 million for the second
• both highlighting the size of the discontented and pointing to the presence of a large impoverished working class.
• When the NCA was itself formed in 1841 a sizeable proportion described themselves as weavers and other skilled labourers who faced ruin

Question 5

FOR

Economic conditions in rural areas also promoted popular discontent with these years.

EVIDENCE - 3

Answer 5

• The continuing enclosure movement and the introduction of mechanisation into British agriculture were the principal reasons behind the Swing Riots of 1830.
• Their actions of machine breaking and hay-rick burning highlights that their discontent was geared at the changing economic landscape in the countryside.
• The Corn Laws of 1815 had artificially inflated wheat and therefore bread prices. This attracted discontent from both the middle and working classes but the visible discontent was clearer from the middle class. The Anti-Corn Law League was set up to pressure the government in 1839. Leading members, such as Cobden and Bright, toured the country, giving lectures in opposition to the economic effects of the CLs

Question 6

2 ARGUMENTS AGAINST

Answer 6

• Whilst economic conditions prompted popular discontent, this discontent typically centred around a set of political aims
• sustaining discontent often relied upon the presence of ccharasmatic leadership and new organisations

Question 7

AGAINST

Whilst economic conditions prompted popular discontent, this discontent typically centred around a set of political aims

EVIDENCE - 4

Answer 7

• reform crisis shows how the rejection of reform by parliment led to mass rioting eg bristol riots and days of may
• GRA excluded the working class and did not enfranchise them as they thought they would be, created anger and a desire for change which led to the emergance of chartism
• chartist aims were overtly political, 6 points of the chartist petitions eg universal manhood sufferage, secret ballot, no property requirements to be an mp
• chartism, repeal assossication and ACLL all sought to remove the goverenment in order to change legislation eg poor law, act of union, corn laws

Question 8

AGAINST

sustaining discontent often relied upon the presence of charasmatic leadership and new organisations

EVIDENCE -

Answer 8

• Repeal Association - Daniel O’connell modled the organisation on the successful catholic association
• political unions - modelled themselves on the BPU binding the middle and working classes which the political elite feared + leadership of thomas attwood
• chartists - was organised around petitions but had a split between moral force and physical force chartism with the strong leader fergus o’connor who inspired disconent and riots , NCA lost the support of the mc after the newport rising

Question 9

CONCLUSION

Answer 9

The frequent economic instability of the country was the only factor able to cause and sustain popular discontent between the years 1828 - 1848.
The poor were able to respect their ideas through joining political unions, and would sustain their activity in them when economic recessions would arise.
For example, 1842-1848 with no political unrest. Political insurrection was undoubtedly motivated by frequent economic distress.