Chartists

Chartists

1. Causes

   • Political
     • Limitations of the 1832 Great Reform Act - did not give working class the vote
     • No secret ballot
       • If workers could vote, they would have to vote for landlord
   • Economic
     • Unskilled workers no longer needed due to new machines in factories
     • 1834 Poor Law sent people with financial problems to workhouses
   • Social
     • Poor conditions for workers in towns and cities
     • Bad harvests in 1830s led to widespread hunger
       • Hunger makes people political agitators

2. Split leadership between moral and physical force

   • Feargus O'Connor
     • Called for violence after rejection of 1842 petition
     • Encouraged workers to damage machinery
     • Called for a general strike and a republic
     • Established more radical newspaper 'Northern Star'
     • Sent 1848 petition (5mil sigs)
   • William Lovett
     • Petitions in 1839 (1.2 mil) and 1842 (3.3 mil)
     • Encouraged temperance among memebers to show they were disciplined and worthy of the vote
     • Edited the more moderate newspaper 'The Chartist'

3. Significance

   • Short term failure
   • Long term influence
     • Chartist energy spread into other movements
       • 'English Leader' newspaper in 1866 stated "the blood of the Chartists of 1848 is the seed of the Reform Movement of 1866"
     • Seen as the first modern political party in their aims, organisation and methods

4. Why it failed

   • Divided movement
     • Moderate
       • Lovett and Birmingham Political Union thought change could be achieved through persuasion
     • Extreme
       • Some drilled on moors and made pikes
       • 1839 Newport Rising - 20 chartists shot in attempt to free chartists from custody. 5000 chartists protested
     • Female suffrage split Chartists
       • Birmingham Charter Association had 2,000 female members
   • Government repression
     • 1839, 11 transported to Australia inc. 6 in Newport Rising
     • In total, 102 transported to Australia
       • Many more sent to prison
   • Economic upturn in 1850s
     • Removed incentive to protest