DEMANDS FOR REFORM

GORDON RIOTS

Broke out in London on the 20th June 1780 triggered by resistance of the Catholic Relief Act of 1778. Their petition for repealing this act was rejected.
Following this, rioters attacked and burnt Catholic churches, businesses and homes. Riots continued for a week and government institutions and buildings were damaged including Newgate and King’s Bench prisons and their prisoners were released
Eventually, three hundred people shot dead, many wounded and 450 people arrested, 25 hung.
HINDER: scared most of the propertied classes and turned them away from political reform.
HELP: Did raise the issue for reform in a more public sphere

Major John Cartwright

Founded London-based society for constitutional information in 1780 to push reform
Campaigning through pamphleteering
However, Gordon riots ended any support from the propertied classes for themovement

William Pitt the younger

Proposed disenfranchising 36 of the worst boroughs
Son of William the elder, who was also an MP
Proposed to redistribute these seats amongst larger counties
Defeated by 74 votes in the House of Commons
Some pockets of reformers in Britain at this time, wasn’t widespread enthusiasm from MPs who would be removing a system they benefitted from

American War of Independence CAUSES

End of 7 year war un 1763 - more land and money
No direct representation in parliament - stamp act enabled higher taxes in US
Repealed - tried to tax them in townsend act - 1773 Boston massacre with 5 dead.
Boston Tea party made as a protest movement - boycott British products to coerce against conformity
Jefferson’s declaration of independence
20% colonists stayed loyal
1781-1783 stopped

French Revolution Causes

Problem collecting taxes
Ancient regimes - Nobility, Clergy, Others
France in debt after American 7 year war, ½ money in French treasury paid to debt
Louis XVI bankrupt France - more taxation
Failed harvests - raised food prices
Intellectuals question religion
Civilians become their own national assembly
Louis sentenced to death by guillotine

American War of Independence INFLUENCE

Britain’s loss of a colony
Liberation principle promoted - Thomas Paine’s rights of man
Enlightenment of human reasoning which was similar to the American belief of equality
Question government as a result of loss of trade, question taxation and legislation - but may encourage government to become stricter

French Revolution INFLUENCE

Monarch executed by peasants - government become spooked by this
Give Britain more radical ideas
Committee of Public Safety (French)
Napoleon wage revolutionary war in Europe
Frances universality of wealth encourage radical ideology
Liberal constitution based on the British model
Edmund Burke said that revolution would spread to England
Thomas Paine: rumours of London insurrection, debunked
Reformers attempt to organise national convention to express popular support

Examples of revolutionary spirit in Britain

Revolution prompted Edmund Burke to write ‘Reflections on the revolutions in France’ 1791, which led to further pamphlets - over 300 debating on the fundamental questions on politics
Rights of Man Thomas Paine spilled into oter media - 20,000 copies
Controversy gave motivation to reform societies ie. Society of Constitutional Information which became highly influential
May 1794: gov arrested leading members of the LCS (London Corresponding Society) on suspicion of treason trials on Oct-Nov 1793 got acquitted but highly condemned
may 1792 Government reacted with royal proclamation against this writing - 300 ritualised burning of Paine’s books - denunciate radical work

The Two Acts

LCS focus on mobilising popular unrest in the war; taxation, food shortages, recruitment through mass public meetings in June + October 1795
Whiggs and reformers denounce Pit, seceded (withdrew) from parliament.

Ireland and War

Irish radicals with longer history of repression + nationalist cause produced a fullscale insurrection in the surrender of 1798
Savagely repressed, collapsed before the promised French invasion support arrived
Union of Ireland and Britain in 1800, final rebellion in 1803
Suspension of haebus corpus allow government to imprison most leading radicals despite widespread social unrest 1799-1801 because of poor harvest and high taxation
1/5 of able-bodied men enlist in some for of military organisation.

Legacy of Ireland and War

Reformers debates to the people 1791 - mirror to the reaction of loyalists from 1792 - intensified by war in France after February 1793
Height of invasion scare 1803 - mass dissemination of loyalist propaganda became efficient
Even if reform failed, British political culture changed fundamentally in resisting
Reform movement resurface 1807, largely under leadership of parliamentarians ie. Frances Bardett radical democratic idea for more constitution between classes
Attack on corruption - William Cobbett populist spokesman, denounce use of royal pensions to buy political allegiance,
Limited electorate reform conceded in 18321793 propaganda and political ritual and cultivation of popular monarchy became key elements in a strategy that recognised the power of people, declined the democratic rights regardless

Peterloo Massacre Causes

Henry Hunt was a universal suffrage who hoped to influence government.
Peaceful protest in Petersbridge due to:
- Small Electorate
- Rights of Man Thomas Paine encouraged people to protest for their voice
Corn Laws 1815 set high food prices
Manchester elite thought peaceful protest in Peterbridge was a revolution
Manchester against voting rights/democracy. Wanted to arrest Hunt, favoured Liverpool tory party as Manchester was without MPs
Mary Fields - president of Manchester female reform system; “Successful growther + loyalists”

Peterloo Massacre Events

1819 - 6,000 people in attendance. Brought homemade flags.
cotton-mill workers - some form of class consciousness.
15 killed, 600 injured. Charged into crowds with swords and bayonets
Peterloo as a name was to mock Waterloo success:
“In Waterloo there was man to man, but at Manchester it was downright murder.” - Lee’s dying words

Consequences of Peterloo massacre

6 Acts passed 1819, prohibit:

Made attending training or drill in weapons, outside of municipal bodies, illegal and punishable by arrest and transportation. 
Gave magistrates the power to search homes for weapons and seize them, along with arresting the owners. 
Government protect their own interests - agrarian landowners in parliament
Required permission from a magistrate or sheriff for public meetings of more than 50 people
Toughened laws against blasphemous and seditious libel, leading to more punitive sentences. 
Reduced the opportunity for bail and sped up the process from indictment to trial and conviction for certain offenses. 
Increased newspaper taxes and extended them to include cheap publications and those publishing opinions, not just news. 
Henry Hunt was arrested for 2 years.

Cato Street Conspirators, 1820s

1st May, 1820 - mass hanging of conspirators
The Plot - assassinate PM, named after the street it was planned on
Spurred on by the Peterloo Massacre and the following 6 Acts
January, 1820 → King died, radical leaders prisoned
Group infiltrated by authorities, groups like London Corresponding societies made government spread spies
Night of the 23rd February 1820 - police storm loft, arrested
Matthew Wood accuses the government of entrapment
Good excuse for government to toughen up, radicalism unpatriotic

Positives of Peterloo Massacre

Helped reform, commentators believe this demonstration gain moral high ground
Manchester cotton mill owners take side of protesters because of this
John Edward Tailer 1821 newspaper - progressive voice in favour of political reform
Persuaded in 1832 to give the vote to more men
Peterloo seen as martyrs

Why did the call for reform intensify after 1815?

After 1815, soldiers look for work in depressed economic state. 400,000 soldiers discharged in South Britain
1816 harvests failed → worst summer in British history
Scarce food supply, food prices increasing as a result of the 1815 Corn Laws
Victory over Napoleon focuses back on aristocratical political regime
Problems above show the class divide, encourage a closer look at the system
Only 3% of working men got the electorate
Reform movements: diverse members, working class and radical ideologists

Increasing pressure for reform

Government began to relax its attitude towards reformers, such as Henry Hunt who was released from prison in 1822. Historians view the replacement of Tory hardliners like Lord Sidmouth with a new generation of more open political figures ie, Robert Peel.
Strengthening of British economy and stability that it brought enabled ideological shift amongst political leaders. Period of liberalism after 1821.
1822, Whig leader Lord John Russel sought to introduce a bill designed to disenfranchise 100 of Britain’s most rotten boroughs and redistribute the seats to growing industrial cities - failed because of a large majority

By the end of 1820s, economy started to decline which signalled the end of a period of relative calm in terms of demands for political reform. Poor harvest in 1828 and 1829 - increase in food prices.

February+March of 1830 alone, more than 200 petitions sent to parliament from those in rural areas demanding tax reduction. Positive response from the government, the Swing riots broke out across rural regions of Britain. Furthered the need for reform.

Rise in food prices after 1828 also increased tension in urban areas. Marches began to take place in many urban centres and the radical press saw a significant uptake in people reading their cheap papers

Manufacturing classes became incredibly wealthy following economic boom of 1820s. Success emboldened them to rejoin the call for political reform. Status warranted greater political representation

Decreasing pressure for reform

In the wake of 6 Acts, middle class ‘respectable’ reformers withdrew from public protest in fear of government repression
After 1820s, economy started to pick up Britain. Trade start to stabilise after Napoleonic Wars
Between 1821-1829, gross national product of Britain rose by 16.8% while manufacturing grew by about 25% - allowed for tory government to start focusing on commerce instead of public order
Only rotten borough to be disenfranchised at the time was Grampound, Cornwall. Long way off reform

Birmingham Political Union

Formed by Thomas Attwood and others in 1829
May 1829 - Attwood spoke to a meeting of 4,000-5,000 people.
Petition signed by 8,000 people, was sent to Parliament - rejected
December, Attwood make this a permanent group. Founded ‘The Political Union for the Protection of Public rights.” Rules signed and accepted by 28 people.
25th January 1830 - 12,000-15,000 attended
Chaired by the radical MP Sir Francis Burdett.

Perks of BPU

Good size, organisation, unified class, leadership
It was used as a model, more political unions formed like this

Thomas Attwood

A banker who was primarily concerned with economic reform, but realized this was only achievable through political reform
CALLED FOR:
Shorter term parliament - increase the accountability of MPs to their constituents
Abolition of property qualifications and payment for MPs
Vote for all men who contributed to local/national taxation

Political demands of manufacturing interests

Social impact of the ew middle class in Britain
Factory owners/self-made mens commercial drive translates into political interest - thus have the potential to force political change as they were well-educated and had thousands of employers
Laissez-faire attitude was criticised during the wars in France
End of wars, government restrict trade (Corn Laws) - voiced more discontent
Soldiers returning home from Napoleonic war lowered wages
Increase in food prices → bread staple food for the poor

London Corresponding Society

1792, made to spread political reform
Infiltrated by spies 1818