Radicalism Flashcards
What was the impact of the American revolution on Britain?
- proved political reform was obtainable
- principles of democracy could be established in a written constitution
- no hereditary titles
- universal male suffrage
What was the initial impact of the French Revolution on GB?
- inspired radicals that change was possible
- reform could be achieved by mounting popular
- stimulated enthusiasm for reform
Why did the impact of the French Revolution on GB change as the Revolution progressed ?
- bloodshed of terror (1793 onwards)
- those who opposed reform could portray change as dangerous
- Britain vs France war in 1793 so radicalism was unpatriotic
Who was Edmund Burke ?
MP sympathised with American colonies Conservative under Pitt Believed in hereditary monarchy Saw democracy as dangerous
What were Burkes central ideas ?
- anti revolution
- Revolution = violence
- government derives from Custom and tradition
- liberty of the “swinish multitude” needs to be restrained
Who was Thomas Paine?
- pro revolution
- published “common sense” urging the colonies to seek independence
- supported French citizens but fled to US during terror
How did Paine respond to Burke’s defence of the constitution?
- published “the rights of man”
- p2 (1792) sold 200,000 copies within the year. Sold cheaply and opened political debate to lower classes
- hugely inspirational to radicals
What were Thomas Paine’s core beliefs?
Equality and liberty
Individual freedom and shared outlook on the common good
Private property should be shared
What were the key ideas or the rights of man?
Tradition is not always a good thing Universal suffrage Free education Welfare Gov protect all equally
What was the LCS?
Campaigns for political reform
Idea came from Paine
First opened in Sheffield 1792
Aimed to link with similar societies
What changes did the LCS call for?
-end to: unjust laws
wasting of public money
Impressive taxes
Restriction of liberty
- moderate, limited aims
- opposed violence
How successful were the LCS and other CS?
- membership peaked at over 3000 in 1795
- weekly meetings and printed pamphlets
- joined by artisans mostly
How did the government respond to LCS initially?
- didn’t
- propertied classes formed loyalist associations
- -used anti radical propaganda and anti French sentiment
Why did the governments fear of LCS increase?
- growth in support of radical societies
- perceived growth in unrest
- increased violence in France (execution of Louis XVI in 1793)
Which laws were passed to counter the threat posed by the LCS?
PITTS REIGN OF TERROR
- suspension of habeas corpus (1794-95)
- The royal proclamation against seditious writings and publications 1792
- the treason trials 1794
- seditious meetings act 1795
- the combination act 1799
What were the treason trials? (1794)
41 radicals, including Hardy and Tooke, were arrested and charged with high treason. Only three trials took place, all were acquitted. All 41 released.
- -stopped spreading of radical ideas
- -contact with France was lost
What was the effect of Pitts reign of terror ?
By 1785 radicalism was silenced.
-aimed to intimidate rather than convict
( war with French also made radicalism unpatriotic )
What complaints emerged by 1815?
- unemployment after napoleonic wars (300,000 troops return home)
- new machines replace skilled workers
- fluctuating food prices
- indirect taxation
- corn laws
Hat was Luddism?
1810-11
Recently installed machines destroyed
<= skilled craftsmen feared loss of livelihoods
William Horsfall assassinated
How did the authorities respond to Luddism?
Thousands of troops stationed in the north and midlands
Machine breaking made capital offence
Several executions
What problems did GB face after the defeat of Napoleon in 1815?
(Since 1793)
National debt increased
Loss of war orders. Most trade partners were in depression.
Unemployment rose
How did the government attempt to reduce national debt in 1815?
Indirect taxation of everyday items such as sugar, tea, candles, beer and Tabacco
(Disproportionate impact on the poor)
Why were the corn laws introduced?
Landowners demanded a ban on import of foreign wheat
–wanted to be self sufficient in case of another war. Plus agriculture was the primary employer in Britain
Saw profits of landowners and impoverishing of lower classes
Describe the influence of John Cartwright in the early 1800s
- father of newspaper agitation
- used newspapers to convert readers and establish links between reformers
Who was William Cobbett?
- Influential radical who later became an MP
- felt government abused their privileged positions
- traveled country to learn about working conditions
Describe William Cobbetts early career
Published the weekly political register in 1802
Embraced reformist views
Sold for 2d
Read by thousands
How did Liverpools government deal view growth of radical press?
Radical peer grew despite gov efforts to persecute those involved
Medium showed that national movement existed
How did Cobbett’s influence grow?
- his language was adopted by the movement
- posted in pamphlet form to escape newspaper stamp duty
- gave simple solution to those suffering 1815-16. Parliamentary reform
Provide examples of Cobbett’s labels
Placemen, parasites and taxeaters
- those who received incomes for the places they held in government
Targeted ‘idle’ upper classes
What were political/radical clubs?
-many of Cobbett’s readers attended meetings in pubs, chapels and cottages.
Gather to read articles and pamphlets, and to discuss ideas
1812- John Cartwright founds Hampden Club
Who joined the Hampden clubs?
- those in the industrial heartlands
- membership limited by fear of punishment
- m/c reluctant to join as they feared it would provoke a revolution
What were the aims of the Hampden clubs?
- Win ‘respectable’ support for reform
- manhood suffrage
- Abolition of the Corn Laws
What did Hampden clubs do?
- produce pamphlets financed by weekly subscriptions
- 1816 campaign to collect signatures for a petition
What challenges did Hampden clubs face?
- anti-sedition legislation
- spies
- targeting of their leaders by local constables
- 1817, several figures in Lancashire’s HC were imprisoned for several months
What was the ‘platform’?
- Public meetings
- demonstrated popular support for reform
- Shows organised nature of Radicalism
- built around right to petition government
Who was Henry Hunt?
- Shared a prison cell with Cobbett
- campaigned fore manhood suffrage
- most popular radical leader by 1815
- Opposed 1832 reform act, as it gave no rights to w/c men
- Spoke at Peterloo and Spa fields
Explain Hunt’s core beliefs
- rouse the masses
- remain orderly and peaceful
- mass platform puts irresistible pressure on government
Why did poor harvests lead to increased radical activity in 1816?
- desperate food shortages
- exacerbated economic hardship caused by the end of the Napoleonic wars
- Impact of corn law on grain prices
What was the spa fields protest (1816)?
- attended by 10,000
- Hunt addressed crowd and planned to deliver petition to the Prince Regent
- wanted to abolish all taxes except income tax (+ want reform)
- Banners, Bands and national anthem
Why did Spa fields (1816) prove controversial?
- small group rioted, stealing from a gun shop and marching on the Tower of London
- few hours of looting
Was Hunt responsible for the violence at Spa Fields (1816)?
- Not really
- Made no appeal to violence
- Petition read “before physical force was applied”
- Cobbett refused to attend as the meeting was expected to be troublesome
What were the effects of Spa Fields (1816)?
- Petitions not delivered until 1817. Over 700 of them, some holding thousands of signatures
- Some Whigs were sympathetic
- Most MPs were afraid of this popular feeling
- Petitions dismissed or ignored
How did the authorities react in 1817? (to Spa Fields petitions)
- 300 arrests. One rioter executed.
- Case dropped after key Witness John Castle was revealed to be a spy
- Gag acts
What were the Gag Acts (1817)?
- suspension of Habeas Corpus for six months
- Seditious meetings act (restricted meetings of more than 50 people)
- Incitement to Mutiny was made a hanging offence
What were the effects of the Gag Acts (1817)?
- effective
- Cobbett fled to US
- Hampden clubs broke up
- meetings ceased
- Radicals forced underground
What was the Pentrich uprising (June 1817)?
- 200 unemployed workers marched form Pentrich to Nottingham, planning to attack the castle
- Armed
- Leader = Jeremiah Brandreth
- believed they would begin a national rebellion
Why did the Pentrich uprising (June 1817) fail?
- William Oliver (spy) alerted the authorities and troops were waiting in Nottingham to arrest the marchers.
- Oliver was appointed by Sidmouth
Why was the Pentrich uprising (June 1817) controversial?
- Oliver had convinced the men to act
- Leeds Mercury exposed this
- Oliver ‘disappeared’ and could not be called as witness
- Three were hanged, 14 transported
What were the effects of the sentences after the Pentrich uprising (June 1817)?
- public outcry
- Whigs keen to attack Tories over this
Who were the Blanketeers (March 1817)?
- Unemployed textile workers
- Planned to March to London and deliver petition to Prince Regent
- Wanted restoration of Habeas Corpus, and relief for state of textile industry
- Leader= William Benbow
What happened with the Blanketeers (March 1817)?
- 5000 marchers gathered crowd of 25,000
- each carried a blanket
- in groups of 10, with 20 signatures each
- 27 arrested
- pursued by cavalry
- only one made it to London
What were the effects of the gov response to the Blanketeers (March 1817)?
- One shot dead and many sabre wounds, thus public outcry
- Magistrates claimed evidence of conspiracy, meaning further arrests
- -prisoners held without trial
- Seditious Meetings Act
- Hampden Clubs dissapear and no more meeting in Manchester
Describe economic conditions in 1818
- slight improvement in trade
- Drop in unemployment
- Habeas corpus restored
- Ban on large meetings lifted
Why was there a meeting at St Peter’s field (1819)?
- Four meetings planned as a demonstration of radical, w/c strength
- Henry Hunt was to speak at the last one, in Manchester during August
How did the gov respond before St Peter’s field (1819)?
- Local authorities grew concerned
- Yeomanry were called. Professional troops were on standby
What happened during St Peter’s field (1819)?
- over 60,000 people
- families and light atmosphere
- order was given to arrest Hunt
- crowd closed ranks to protect Hunt
- Yeomanry used swords. 11 killed, over 400 injured. Stampede.
Who was to blame for St Peter’s field (1819)?
- some said the Yeomanry were drunk, they were certainly inexperienced
- Press outcry
- Riots broke out in support of the ‘martyrs’
- Gov privately felt magistrates had over reacted but had to defend them
- Hunt imprisoned for 2 years
What did the six acts (1819) represent?
- Gov worried about demagogues influencing through inflammatory speeches
- Suppression of peaceful protest
- Powers of authorities extended
- Arguably became impossible to protest
- importance exaggerated?
What were the six acts (1819)?
- forbidding unauthorized military training
- gives magistrates emergency powers to search houses for weapons
- prevents all but smallest public meetings
- re-enforce stamp duty
- magistrates can destroy seditious publications
- prevent delays by the accused in treason trials
