CHARTISM

People’s Charter

1. Vote for all adult males

2. Voting should be by secret ballot

3. MPs not needed to have minimum amount of property before being allowed to take a seat in parliament

4. Payment for members of parliament

5. Each parliamentary constituency should have roughly the same amount of voters

6. General elections to be held once a year

Chartism (generally)

Manchester-based, 20 years after Peterloo
1839 - 1,000s of men gather (Working Class) with pikes. “Revolution”
Queens Street - most men plotted were weavers from industrial towns/cities
Bradford weavers - well respected/paid until steam engines increased mass-production and workers lost their jobs. Machines could do the work of 4 workers led to wage cuts and mass unemployment
Trade depression and failed harvests led to high rates of poverty ‘resolved’ by workhouses, which caused distress and hope for reform.
1830S - fire that almost destroyed Westminister

Great Reform Act 1832 on Chartism

MPs interested in blocking democracy: cozy middle-class to keep vote from lower classes.
Initiated Chartism → 1st petition had 1.3 million signatures 1839: FAILED>
“Peacefully if we can, forcefully if we must.”

Women Chartists

Call for all men above the age of 21 to vote
Made provision for suffrage for women → divisions excluding women
1838-1852, 100 female chartist associations met in coffee houses/homes/etc.
News societies → national
Avid philanthropists; eg. Elizabeth Hanson, marched 1838. Informed infant minds, support the wider movements for the vote
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 - allow bodies for dissection if unaimed
Start attacking workhouses
Mary-Anne Walker, lecture at the chartist movements
1842 form a female chartist association
Attacked economic inequality and tax spendings
More than women’s rights, civilians rights

Newport Rising

Anger about chartists being arrested, suppression as well as the petition being declined
Led by John Frost
Called for democratic reform
205:46 decline petition
Henry Vincent: South Wales Leader of Chartism arrested for 1 year
Armed with pistols, pikes etc.
20 chartists killed, greatest amount of soldiers killed in the 19th century
Finally pardoned 1854

Main reason for chartism failure

1. Segmentation of chartism - instead of sticking to moderate, intellectual protesting the Newport Riot consequentially tarnished their chances in parliament

2. Stamp tax removed, general public access knowledge = unified effort which decreases because of radical measure

3. 2nd vs 3rd petition - evident decline

Physical Force Chartism

Emerge after the failure of the first petition → radical and violent, mimic French revolution

Moral Force Chartism

Believe in campaigning through petitions and peaceful protests. Winning support in a post-reform parliament - new Middle class MPs. Moral high ground, seem respectable = more likely to achieve support. Got 1.3 million on 1st petition

1838 Peoples Charter Publication

Cabinet maker William Lovett published peoples charter with 6 demands for the electorate. Popular magna carter - petition had 1.3 million signs

1839 First Chartist petition presented to government

Contained almost 1.3 million signatures from all over the country. Petition was rejected - chartists break out into riots out of outrage (1839 Newport Riot)

1832 2nd Chartist petition presented

7 bands; flags, give attentioned
Contained 3.3 million signatures → petition couldn’t even fit through the door. 6 mile long lkeviathon petition.
1/3 of adult population 3.5x the electorate.
6 chartists to speak in favour

1842 the Plug Plot

Thousands of workers/chartists intended to pull the plugs on recently-installed boilers in the mills.
1,500 chartists face trial, 75 transported, led to reduced wages

1848 Third Chartist petiton presented to Government

Presented by Fergus O’Conner, MP for Nottingham
5.75 million alleged signatures, only found less than 2 million
Only 15 Mps support his motion to adapt the character, backlash from Moral Chartists

1848 Chartist Convention of Kennington Common

Prepare for presentation of 3rd great national petition calling for peoples charter + made law organic outcome → no violence
1867 Reform Act extend the vote to all houseowners and lodgers in boroughs who paid £10 rent a year or more
Electorate in England/Wales double