Reasons For Popular Protest And Radicalism In The 1790s

Question 1

Factor: Discontent with parlimentary system

Reasons:

Answer 1

 Crown seen to have too much power

 System was exclusive and corrupt. Only
very small number of men could vote.

 System was unrepresentative

 Monarchy was in crisis i.e. George III’s
‘madness’ and the Regency Crisis

 New industrial and commercial interests
resented their lack of political powe

Question 2

Factor: discontent with parlimentary system

Limitations:

Answer 2

 There was support for the Status Quo
 The M/C tended to side with the aristocracy after the French Revolution
1789 and war against France 1793

Question 3

Factor: impact of French Revolution 1789

Reasons

Answer 3

 Encouraged demands to limit monarchy’s power
 Created belief that constitution should be changed
 Created a revolutionary impetus
- encouraged lower classes to campaign for less exclusive political system

Question 4

Factor: impact of French Revolution 1789

Limitations:

Answer 4

 The French Revolution 1789 did not create radicalism in Britain – it merely gave it momentum
 Led to literature in favour of the status quo e.g. Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the revolution in France

• French Revolution had a negative impact on parlimentary reform

Question 5

Factor : growth of revolutionary underground

Reasons:

Answer 5

 Writings of Thomas Paine
 John Wilkes’ campaigns
 Corresponding Societies and radical
activity in the 1790s

Question 6

Factors: growth of revolutionary underground

Limitations:

Answer 6

 Revolutionary Underground was not that revolutionary

 Radical groups were divided ideologically, regionally and in tactics

 Radical groups were not united

Question 7

Factor: government policies

Reasons

Answer 7

 Failure of Parliamentary Reform
 Focus on Maintaining Law and Order
 Unsympathetic and repressive policies

Question 8

Factor: government policies

Limitations

Answer 8

 Majority of people were supportive of the status quo and George III in the 1790s
 Repressive legislation was used little

Question 9

Factor: economic issues

Reason:

Answer 9

 War with France and bad harvests caused distress
 Food shortages and food riots
 Start of mechanisation = de-skilling

Question 10

Factor : economic issues

Limitations:

Answer 10

 People were not too angered by high bread prices and unemployment
 Industrial revolution ensured the general standard of living was improving in this period.

Question 11

What did Pitts financial, administrative and commercial policies include ?

Answer 11

 Smuggling was targeted to curtail the ‘black market’. It was hoped that this would increase legal trade and as
a consequence expand the government’s revenue from customs.

 New indirect taxes were introduced, for example: the graduated window tax.

 Taxes were collected more efficiently.

 The ‘Sinking Fund’ principle was extended as a means of addressing the problem of the national debt.

 Government expenditure was reduced through greater efficiency.

 Pitt created policies which aimed to increase overseas trade adding to customs revenues and confidence in
the economy.
 These policies appealed to politicians and the commercial interest