radical reformers

criteria

whether the radical reformers were in a position to overthrow the political system and replace it with another

when were the spa field riots?

1816

what happened at spa fields?

* a radical group (speanceans) protested for parliamentary reform
* small group of 300
* their ideas were heavily inspired by the french rev
* willing to have a violent violent revolution to make their demands heard

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when was the pentridge uprising?

1817

what was the pentridge uprising?

* a group were led by agent provocateur oliver to a ‘planned uprising’ in london with an intention to seize the city, however they were intercepted
* the leader jeremiah brandreth was arrested and publicly hanged

when was the peterloo massacre?

1819

what happened at peterloo?

* a large group of around 60 000, led by henry hunt, took to manchester to ask for parliamentary reform, inc universal suffrage
* they were peaceful and not armed


* viewed as such a threat by the gov due to huge numbers of people
* henry hunt was a well-known radical who was believed to have been able to influence a violent revolution

who formed the hampden clubs in 1812?

john cartwright

what did the hampden clubs replace?

the LCS (London Corresponding Society) who didn’t function after 1784 after being shut down by the gov

what did the hampden clubs do?

discussed news and political matters

name two groups who were too small to pose a threat to the revolutions

the spenceans and the blanketeers

* both broken up by gov and many arrested before anything became too violent

why did the radical reformer movement fail?

* lack of progress with objectives
* inability to overcome opposition
* lack of co-ordination
* failure of leadership

lack of co-ordination and leadership in the movement

* there were disagreements and divisions within the movement which meant that there was no real co-ordination
* although radical thinkers like cobbett, cartwright and hunt published and debated their ideas, there was no unified leadership
* this meant that it was easier for the gov to oppose the movement

successes of the gov’s response

* use of agent provocateurs
* suspension of habeas corpus 1794-5
* trial of the LCS 1794
* treason act and seditious meeting act 1795
* the gagging acts 1817
* the six acts 1819

how did the gov use agent provocateurs?

* oliver during pentridge
* spies who attended LCS meetings in 1792
* meant that the gov could plan ahead so could intercept plans

what happened in the trial of the LCS in 1794?

* their reformist ideas of the LCS worried the gov who thought they posed a threat
* trial of 30 radical reformers due to fear of an uprising
* gov claimed ‘high treason’ and that they were planning on assassinating george III
* gov were unable to convince the court and all defendants were acquitted

PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE

none of the LCS were convicted but most of leadership withdrew from radical politics; gov showed how radicalism would be dealt with

what was the treason act 1795?

stated that the king or monarchy couldn’t be threatened

what was the seditious meetings act 1795?

limited public gatherings to 50 people unless authorised by the magistrate

what was involved in the six acts 1819?

* unlawful drilling act
* seizure of arms act
* seditious meetings prevention act
* misdemeanours act
* criminal libel act
* newspaper and stamp duties act

what was the newspaper and stamp duties act?

* increased the number of publications that had to pay stamp tax, as well as the amount that needed to be paid
* meant that fewer newspapers and pamphlets could be published profitably - very significant as it was the main way that radical ideas were spread (eg ideas of Thomas Paine)