Why did chartism fail?? Flashcards
use of petitions
acts
first petition 1839, 1.2 mil signatures and general strike organised but bill rejected, chartists arrested and 6000 troops sent North to keep peace.
Second petition 1842, 3.3 mil signatures, increased campaigning, but parliament reject it by even more votes than the last one (287 votes to 49).
Third petition 1848, French revolution increases confidence of chartists who are getting desperate. Chartists are banned for forging 3.7 out of 5.7 mil signatures, 8000 more soldiers sent out to stop them.
The chartists grew in desperation but didn’t change their campaigning methods over time, and so the resistance from the government grew after every petition, which made it harder for chartists to be taken seriously in the long term, which would eventually worsen their morale and ultimately they’d give up.
Use of violence
Facts- Newport rising 1839, thousands of miners storm hotel to rescue imprisoned chartists, soldiers open fire killing 20 and injuring 50 (led by William jones) Leaders were arrested and many killed, worsening morale of chartists after their first bill failed. They look weak and are humiliated.
-The plug riots 1842- following rejection of second bill, 500,000 workers went on strike in Yorkshire, Lancashire etc. removing plugs from factory boilers to make them useless. This wasn’t led by the chartists but govt blamed them and arrested 1000 of them involved
Explanation- Neither group had any strong and supported aims, and because their followers were predominantly lower class, they lacked the funding as members couldn’t afford the subscriptions to pay for the chartists to campaign effectively, therefore they were never a threat to the rich politicians and they never considered giving them a chance.
political organisations
Facts -NCA, 70,000 members by 1842, permanent chartist group following failure of 2nd petition, failed from lack of money, supporters couldnt afford their subscriptions so leaders were poorly paid and couldn’t gather resources. Complete suffrage union,1842, middle class who wanted democratic suffrage and free trade. Over 50 branches, and collaborated with Anti corn league , didn’t work as abolishing corn laws would result in lower wages for chartists.
Explanations-Neither group had any strong and supported aims, and because their followers were predominantly lower class, they lacked the funding as members couldn’t afford the subscriptions to pay for the chartists to campaign effectively, therefore they were never a threat to the rich politicians and they never considered giving them a chance.
Other areas (education/ land plan)
Facts Education, chartists stressed link between chartism and education, and Lovett set up middle class schools and temperance societies (avoiding alcohol) but was opposed by O’connor who was too radical/ violent Land Plan, O’connor planned to buy land and ease unemployment, peasants would buy shares at 3d a week which would be put together to buy chartist land, which could then be rented to chartists. Despite £100,000 being collected, only 250 people got land
Explanation- The aims of members of the group were too divided, and the social class of the followers was too low to provide sufficient funding to allow them to campaign effectively against the government. There were no strong leaders with good plans to improve the respectability of the chartists and therefore make the government listen to them and consider their ideas.
judgement/ line of arguments
The chartists failed because of all of the reasons above, however in the long term it was their increased radical methods that increased the tensions between them and the government. In the short term they had good numbers of support, but after the first bill failed in 1839, they got more violent by the time the 2nd bill failed in 1842. The violence they used in the plug riots and Newport rising gave the government good reason to attack them and damage their morale, as from then on they were never going to be viewed with respect by the government.
