War 1741-42 / call for reforms/ growth of radicalism/ Wilkes/ Yorkshire associations

who was John Wilkes

Wilkes was an MP for Aylesbury in 1757 campaigned for liberty

what were the key issues Wilkes focused on ?

Freedom of the press

the law of arrest and parliamentary privilege

the rights fo voters and parliamentary reforms

the reporting of parliamentary debates

who was the Earl of Bute ?

Prime minister from 1662-3 negotiated treaty of Paris

what paper was started in 1762?

The north Britain opposing the government

What did the paper say and do?

• attacked George III for making generous peace with france in the Treaty of Paris

• Wilkes was arrested for seditious liable in 1763

• fleb to france until 1768

• returned was imprisoned in TOL after winning a general election gave himself up made him look like a Martyr

• riots broke out troops were set on people 12 died 15,000 people

• used NO.45 to promote himself as “defender of the freedom of men and on the side of everybody”

• re-elected as MP of aylesbury and later Mp for middlesex

• 1769 expelled from parliament after errotic poem published

who were Wilkes supporters?

outsiders

anti-establishment

religious dissenters

skilled workers

radical religious supporters

against king and parliament

what were Wilkes successes?

made reforms seem less radical

brought ideology of reform into the press

more discussions surrounding reform

reporting of parliamentary debates

gained 60,000 signatures petitioning for reforms

what were Wilkes failures?

12 dead in riots

no reforms actually happened

Wilkes was banned from parliament 1769 and exiled from 1763-68

lack of support from peers in parliament

What did people accuse parliament and the government of when they locked Wilkes up?

Despotism - arbitrary rule

quote about ideological change Wilkes

Thanks to Wilkes and the associators , the idea that the British state was parasitical (relied on exploiting others), wasted taxes, and shamelessly enriched the small elite, entered the British collective consciousness in an unprecedented way

What did the Yorkshire associations want?

• To safe guard and restore Britains ancient constitutions

• Elimination of Rotten Boroughs

• metropolitan reform

• expansion of the electorate to include small scale land and property owners

• elections every 3 years to hold Mp’s acounatable

when did Yorkshire association take place?

1779

why did they fail? YorkA

reformers never united

mob violence tarnished the cause and frightened many

politicians who supported them were not interested in reform wanted to embarrass the gov

George III opposed reform believed coronation oath meant he had an obligation to maintain the inherited constitution

what were the successes?

gained 8000 signatures for the petition reform fo Yorkshire not successful less than wilkes (60,0000)

what were the gordon riots / when ?

1780