Topic 1 Politics In The Age Of Revolution Flashcards
What was Britain like in 1783?
Unreformed political system
Monarch decided the PM
No clear party political systems (fox items and whigs)
There were many independent members of parliament with no affiliation
Britain was an Anglican state, there was discrimination against Roman Catholics and nonconformists
Britain had an empire
It had not yet joined with Ireland
State was very small
Local government run by local grandees/Magistrates
Between 1793-1815 fought lots of wars
Britain in 1830
Party identities were In a fixed 2 party system
Many MPs remained independent
Franchise had been widened
Catholics and non conformists were now able to vote
Britain and Ireland were united.
Some functions had been removed from local government
Britain was at peace
Why didn’t Britain have a revolution in 1848?
We had the revolutions early (1642 and 1688)
King gave more liberty than others in Europe
Politics is often not a concern for the British
The industrial revolution kept everyone busy
Other countries in Europe also didn’t have revolutions so it’s not like it was completely widespread
What did lord Macaulay write about Britain in the 1840s?
That Britain was stable whilst rest of Europe was prone to revolution and bloodshed
What happened during the 1688 Glorious revolution?
English nobles invited William and Mary to take the throne from James II as he was Catholic and they didn’t want another catholic monarch. William and Mary had to agree to some demands from parliament in order to take the throne (keep it free and Protestant)
Who was Richard Price?
Welsh moral philosopher and preacher
Radical non-conformist
Said Britain had unfinished businesses and a long way to go to make it good for citizens
Who was Edmund Burke?
Prominent Whig politician
Wrote ‘Reflections on the revolution in France 1790’
Did not support the French Revolution
Did support reform in India and American reforms
Believed that institutions that had survived did so because they served the people (otherwise they would not have survived)
Thought innovation was ‘selfish temper and confined views’
Who was Thomas Paine?
Wrote the Rights of Man
Argued for innate rights of liberty, property and security
Inspired the American Declaration of Independence
How did Paine disagree with Burke?
The living have different needs to the dead
Allow ourselves to be ruled by inheritance doesn’t serve citizens well
Opposite ends of tradition
What was moderate radicalism?
Response to the debate
Most wanted moderate parliamentary reform - didn’t agree with everything Paine said
called to the ideas of the ancient constitution, Coke and the Magna Carta as where their rights really resided
People were not happy that the french king and queen were arrested and then executed
Did Pitt bring in a reign of terror for Britain?
Validity of the term is unsupported
Wide state repression
State used spies to infiltrate radical groups
No police force
1792 seditious writing/literature proclamation
1794 Habaeus corpus was suspended
1795 sedition and treason acts
Some prosecution of radicals
Paid journalists to write in governments favour
Popular support was on the governments side
Who was Hannah More?
Wrote refutation to Thomas Paine in Village politics
Evangelical Christian
Written under the pseudo name Will Chip
Addressed mechanics, journeymen and day labourers
takes the form of a dialogue
Claimed that Paine had political naivety
Argued that the current system gave citizens all the freedoms they needed
What did Ian Christie say about there being no English revolution in the period?
Britains social system was more fluid
Aristocracy were not as powerful as they were in France
More freedom than other places
He may overstate the stability of Britain at this time
What did Ellie Halevy say about why Britain did not have a revolution?
Religion played its part in creating social stability
Religion was a conservative force
Took energies from revolution and channeled them to family and hard work (METHODISM)
Many historians disagree and don’t buy the tie up between religion and popular protest
What does John Merrimack say about Britains lack of revolution?
Britain was already reforming (1832) therefore it was showing willing and did not need to go for a revolution
British identity is one of civility where reform and reinvention were more powerful than Revolution (it is part of our national DNA)
