Radical Reformers - 1789-1816 Flashcards
How many people were entitled to vote at the start of the Nineteenth century
300,000
When was the Rights of Man published
16 March 1791
Define Radicalism
- Retains the “change at the root” connotation fundamental to revolutionary societal change, altering social structures through revolutionary means and changing value systems in fundamental ways.
Explain what is meant by “Historically, radicalism has referred exclusively to the radical left (under the single category of far left politics) and rarely incorporating far-right politics”
There used to be a a decisive split, with left wing movements being more so labelled as radical
Summarise what is meant by a period of Enlightenment
- During the 18th and early 19th centuries there were huge changes in philosophical thought
- these were considered to be of huge influence by contemporaries who were keen to try to understand and react appropriately to the upheaval that they were witnessing
Who was Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Highly influential Swiss/French philosopher in the mid-eighteenth century.
He produced many several works including the Discourse on Inequality and The Social Contract.
What were the key ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Good
-Human beings are inherently good, but are corrupted by society (e.g political and religious institutions, science and the arts) which limits freedom and equality
What were the key ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Collectively
-People should act collectively in the interests of the common good
What were the key ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Curiosity
-curiosity and free expression should be encouraged
What were the key ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Education
-Education is essential for everyone including women
Famous Jean-Jacques Rousseau Quote
“Man is born free and everywhere is in chains.”
Who was Thomas Paine
- Influential British philosopher living in Britain and America in the second half of the eighteenth century
- Most famous for the Rights of man.
What were the key ideas of Thomas Paine
equality
society has wrong beliefs in equality and liberty (e.g opposed slavery in all forms)
What were the key ideas of Thomas Paine
freedom
Argued society should be based on individual freedom and a shared outlook of the common good
What were the key ideas of Thomas Paine
religion
Opposed all organised religion although (he was not an atheist), as he disagreed with how religion was managed
What were the key ideas of Thomas Paine
Land
Land (private property) should be shared or that those without land should receive payment from the government
In what ways do Rousseau and Paine’s ideas fit the definition of ‘radical’
- both believe that society should stem from the people
- there should be a power shift from those at the top of society, to be more inclusive to the views and rights of the common individual
Famous Thomas Paine quote
“We have it in our power to begin the world over again.”
Why were both Rousseau and Paine’s ideas so controversial and met with rage from the authorities
- more even distribution of power was aspired for by both, which threatened the status quo
- education as a fundamental right
- threatens those who own property, with a more equal distribution of land, which impacts the voting system
- against slavery
Who was Edmund Burke
An Irish statesman who served in parliament as an MP for an English constituency
Today, Edmund Burke is regarded as ….
One of the key formative influences on British Conservative Thinking
Who does Burke align himself with in Parliament
The Whigs
but the conservative faction, dubbed the ‘Old Whigs’
The 5 Core elements of Edmund Burke’s ‘conservative’ ideology
- silent majority - people like things the way that it is
- government derives authority from traditions & customs
- a combination of monarchy, aristocracy & the house of commons creates a stable government
- a democracy can be dangerous
- revolutions are always going to be violent
Why was a democracy seen as dangerous by so many members of the ruling class in the 1790s
- It was a new, more modern system which challenged the powers of having a hereditary monarch
- Personally threatening to those who have inherited power
- Country thought not to be ready for a democracy as too uneducated
What was an integral feature of Burke’s ideology
to preserve Britain’s constitution to protect Britain from the dangers of democracy
In what ways was Burke not typically conservative
- supported the American revolution
- supported the American colonies grievances against King George 3rd and the British government accepting their desire for independence
What was Burke’s thoughts on the French Revolution
Did NOT support it - Alarmed by the reaction of the new whigs, and the likes of Richard Price, to the French Revolution
What was Burke’s thoughts on the Glorious Revolution
- Saw it as necessary exception to the rule of hereditary monarchy, to ensure stability
- Moreover, he saw it very differently, not as a democratic revolution
What did Burke do on the 1st November 1790
Published his most important work Reflections on the Revolution in France
What did Burke do in 1792
He broke from the Whigs and aligned himself with the tories
What were the key ideas of Burke’s book Reflections on the Revolution in France
- Revolutionary change is always accompanied by violence
- Liberty needs to be restrained in order to preserve the contact between govt and governed
- Britain’s govt is ‘ stable and wise’ to guarantee ancient privileges and liberties,not concerning the consent of the governed
Why did Thomas Paine spend time in America
- In 1774, Paine sailed to Philadelphia, intrigued by the colonists’ struggle for liberty, and in search of an environment in which he could safely publicise his growing dislike of the British monarchy.
Describe Thomas Paine’s time spent in America
- 13 years in America - developed ideas, in support of democracy and republicanism, and in defence of revolution as a means of securing freedom.
Describe Thomas Paine’s time in France
- In 1787 he travelled to France, where he witnessed the drama of the revolution
- Again he supported the French citizens against monarchic rule and in favour of a more democratic system
What was Thomas Paine’s most famous work called
The Rights of Man
Why was the The Rights of Man written
as a reply to Burke and a defence of Richard Price
The Rights of Man became the….
principal text inspiring political radicals in Britain from the 1790s onwards.
Key Ideas of the Rights of Man
Tradition
- Tradition is not always a good thing and it is not always desirable to respect and follow traditions.
- The decisions of previous generations should not be able to bind those that follow
- the dead should not control the living
Key Ideas of the Rights of Man
Equality
- Government should protect all citizens equally.
- Aristocrats and unearned (inherited) wealth should not rule the country as they act self-interested
Key Ideas of the Rights of Man
French Revolution
French Revolution emerged from reason and rational thought, not emotional violence (as Burke asserted).
Key Ideas of the Rights of Man
Rights
- Paine advocated for introducing a range of civil rights to improve the lives of ordinary working citizens
- these includes universal male suffrage, free education and welfare payments (e.g. pensions for the elderly)
How many copies of the Rights of Man were sold
200,000
What was revolutionary about Paine’s ideas
- Inherited wealth should not rule the country
- Civil rights and equality should be a right of the working class population
- Challenging power, hence pushing for privileges
Why did the Rights of man have so much popularity and appeal amongst the working class population
- advocates for civil rights which would improve the lives of ordinary working people
- suggested the French Revolution stemmed from reason & rational thought
- equal rights for citizens
How would Paine defend his assertion that ‘Burke is contending for the authority of the dead over the rights and freedom of the living?’
Burke is suggesting that the power that is inherited lies with the living
The rights of man does not include who
women
Who was Major John Cartwright
(1740-1824)
- Started to campaign for parliamentary reform in the 1770s,
- promoted many of the principles that Paine set out in the Rights of Man.
- Set up the Society for the Promotion of Constitutional Information in 1784
- He later established newspapers
Who was John Wilkes (1725-1797)
- An early radical MP, one of the first campaigners for parliamentary reform in the 1760s and 1770s.
Who was John Horne Tooke (1736-1812)
Key supporter of Wilkes and later, a close associate of Cartwright.
Primarily the LCS was an organisation set up to campaign for ……. ……..
Political Reform
Where did the idea for Corresponding Societies come from
From Paine’s encouragement of the re-establishment of the Society for the Promotion of Constitutional Information in 1791.
When did the first Corresponding societies open
In Sheffield in 1792, followed a month later by the LCS, which became the leading political society in London
what was the initial intention of the LCS
To write and create links with similar provincial societies
Complaints of the LCS
People of Great Britain are not __________ ___________ in parliament
Effectively represented
Solutions of the LCS
People of Great Britain are not effectively represented in parliament
Allow people to participate in society, by providing suffrage
Complaints of the LCS
Partial __________ are present in parliament
Privileges
Solutions of the LCS
Partial privileges are present in parliament
Have MPs which are chosen to represent all the people in the population
Complaints of the LCS
The government favours the _______as opposed to the general public, hence there is_________ in how representatives are chosen
Wealthy
Corruption
Solutions of the LCS
The government favours the wealthy as opposed to the general public, hence there is corruption in how representatives are chosen
Monitor the government, there should be an openness about criticising the government
LCS membership peaked at about _____ in 1795, with ____ active in the branches
3000
1500
LCS Societies became a feature of many underrepresented towns such as?
Manchester
Leeds
Norwich
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Dublin
LCS members contributed ____________ each week to fund the organisation
One penny
What activities did the the LCS do
- held weekly meetings
- printed pamphlets and corresponded with France
- they exchanged visits with the National Assembly in France (in touch with revolutionists)
- they also adopted French fashions and called each other ‘Citizen’.
Why was it significant that the LCS called members citizens
As it was a term used in the French Revolution which means we’re all equal
In 1793, _________members of the public signed a petition to say they supported the resolutions of the London Corresponding Society, the organisation could call____________ people out on to the streets for a demonstration and plans were underway to organise a convention in________
6000
Several thousand
Edinburgh
Why is it impressive that they got a petition with 6000 signatures
No postal service until 1839, so this displays very good organisation and support
In what ways would the organisation of the LCS provoke fear from those in power who feared revolution?
- High Membership - 6000 members
- Members provided services - working middle class
- Very Organised - weekly meetings, pamphlets, demonstrations
- Correspondence with France
- Raising funds
To what extent could the LCS qualities be interpreted as ‘revolutionary’?
- Societies formed in many unrepresented towns, giving more people a voice
- Strength in numbers - thousands could take streets in organised protests
- Intricate organisation
To what extent could the LCS resolutions be interpreted as ‘revolutionary’ due to French connections?
Correspondence with French Revolutionaries could spark ideas of using a guillotine
Why were loyalist associations formed
- Many people, especially the propertied classes,
- were keen to defend the existing system,
- with the aim of neutralising the threat of reformist ideas
Who did Loyalist Associations have backing from
The government
What did the Loyalist Associations do
- campaigned using anti-radical propaganda
- appearing in pamphlets, newspapers and cartoons
- which focused on anti-French sentiments and the fear of radical change.