Paper charting the birth and subsequent demise of Chartism, the movement for political change, in Britain and the political evolution of the laboring poor.
2,175 words (approx. 8.7 pages), 5 sources, 2000, $ 67.95
Abstract This paper examines the effect of Chartism on Britain's class system and looks at the changing political aspirations of the laboring poor. It explores the ramifications of the 1832 Reform Act, the Industrial Revolution, the Poor Laws of 1601, classical liberalism and Malthusian influences. It traces the birth of Chartism and its subsequent demise.
From the Paper "Prior to Chartism, the concept of a "working class" had not existed. British society could be split into two; the elite and the non-landed classes. The latter group included not only the poor but also the middle classes in the form of professionals such as lawyers, clergy and the military. The Industrial Revolution then swelled the ranks of the middle class with the management level staff of the new northern industries."
Tags: chartist, class, classical, liberalism, malthus, working, society
Abstract The paper examines how Ccartism was perhaps the most significant radical movement of the nineteenth century and how it was created in the aftermath of the great reform act and flourished at a time of political uncertainty across Europe. It looks at how it created a fear of popular insurrection in the governing classes which is unparalleled in modern British history and how it has begat a wealth of historiography, in which the debates and controversies of its nature and origins still remain hotly disputed. In particular, it explores whether chartism could be considered backward-looking in its demands yet, conversley, innovative in its methods. It includes a history of British radicalism and the culture of chartism and a relevant analysis of Victorian society and politics.
From the Paper "Perhaps the most significant aspect of the working class intellectualism of the movement was the press, which became a cornerstone of the movement. The Chartist leaders firmly believed in the importance of newspapers in the organisations desire to create an educated working class political society. The Northern Star was formed in November 1837, originally to "stoke the fires of the anti-poor law campaign"#, but fast became the most influential organ of the Chartists. The extent to which Chartism had become a union of the literate working classes was demonstrated by the fact the "oracle of the movement" the Northern Star sold 60,000 copies a week, and before the Poor Man's Guardian had sold 16,000 which were estimated to be read by an average of ten people each."
Tags: radicalism, victorians, reform, movement, poor, law
A discussion of Chartism in 19th century Europe, a force which relied as much upon a burgeoning print culture as it did upon the radical mass platform.
Abstract This paper examines the importance of both platform and print as instruments from which Chartism, as a movement for political and social reform, derived its forward momentum in the United Kingdom in 19th century. The paper points out that Chartism emphasized, above all, the power of the word and the art of persuasion. The paper also raises the question of whether the movement displayed genuine class consciousness or whether it evinced an older grievance towards the aristocracy. It posits that print and platform were in some ways diametrically opposed to each other. However, it concludes that, ultimately, they were dependent upon one another in that newspapers needed the platform so that they could report on meetings and events, and the platform needed the newspapers to publicise its events.
From the Paper "What should be pointed out, however, is that unstamped papers alone should not be placed on a par with the platform in creating enthusiasm for the movement. While these might have been important breeding grounds for future Chartist leaders, they hardly reached a wide enough audience to justify the kind of impact the platform had. By the time the Act of 1836 was passed, which not only reduced the duty on newspapers from 4d to 1d per copy, but also heavily penalised unstamped papers, this situation brought to a head a decision for these papers to either become newspapers outright or to stay as they were, in which case sufficient circulation figures had to be maintained to make the enterprise anyway near profitable. But by and large small-scale publications were doomed by the amount of postal charges they had to pay. In fact, the highly-opinionated and individualistic flavour of the articles they tended to contain even helped split the support of working men, sapping the unifying force that the Chartist movement may have had."
Abstract The political structure of nineteenth century Britain is explored with the backdrop of Chartism. This movement is examined for its effectiveness in achieving the change it desired. The aims and objectives are discussed - the working and social conditions of the lower classes focusing on the miners and factory workers.
From the Paper "The immediate impact of Chartism was the emergence of a movement by radicals and the working class to improve and change the political system, because they wanted to their economic, living and political aspirations. The Reform Act 1832 had failed to satisfy the working class, hope had been given that political reform would bring good changes for all. Unfortunately the working classes were not given the vote, it was merely extended to the middle class who could now have a say in the election of MPs and parliamentary seats distributed more evenly. Because the working class didn?t own properties to the value of ?10 (this was the requirement for men to vote), they were still alienated from the political system."
Tags: politics, social, working, conditions, class, england
Abstract The Chartist Movement came into existence after the breakdown of earlier attempts by the laboring poor to improve their condition. It developed from friendly societies into societies that threw their energies directly into politics, especially parliamentary reform. This paper explains the different issues that led to the 18th century working classes turning to Chartism in an attempt to improve not only their working conditions, but also their standards of living. It looks at the Acts of Parliament passed at this time.
From the Paper "London was the world of dwindling craft industries. London's craftsmen were the drive of Chartism. Silk handloom weavers were the principal single cluster, but other craftsmen were also engaged in the movement. Under these circumstances, they had nothing in common with the factory hands employed in the North of England. The craftsmen objected to the use of machinery, partly due to a decline of their own trades as a result of industrialisation. The majority of London was not employed within these factory settings, the violent fluctuations in the levels of employment were not the same as they were in the North. So there was not a great mass suffering from hardship at the same time as in the industrial areas."
Abstract "Chartism was one of the most important political reform movement in Great Britain in the first half of the 19th century. Indeed, this populist and popular movement came nearer to being a mass rebellion than another British movement in modern times
From the Paper "Chartism was one of the most important political reform movement in Great Britain in the first half of the 19th century. Indeed, this populist and popular movement came nearer to being a mass rebellion than another British movement in modern times. Working people from across Wales, Scotland and England demonstrated in support of both the political and social elements of this program.
Chartists drew upon both traditional forms of social protest organization and developed new ways of having their voice heard publishing newspapers, pamphlets, broadsides. Chartist songs and hymns were sung, Chartist sermons preached and attended to, Chartist plays produced and pageants performed as what might now be called a entire political and social counter-culture was created and reveled in. Chartists took advantage of newly licit forms ..."
Abstract This paper examines the history of the cotton textile industry, with a particular emphasis on the campaign for workers' rights in Dukinfield and Stalybridge in the Tame Valley, east of Manchester. The scope for customs and recreation is also described, to give a rounded picture of life in a cotton town.
Outline
Cotton Imports and Exports
Development of the Industry
The Early Cotton Industry in Dukinfield and Stalybridge
Growth of the Cotton Industry along the Tame Valley
Increasing Unrest
The Cotton Famine
The 20th Century
Customs and Recreation in Stalybridge
Bibliography
From the Paper "The first instance of factory spinning had been in Richard Arkwright's water-powered mill at Cromford in 1771, and the transition to a factory-based cotton industry occurred during the last 30 years of the 18th Century. The invention of the spinning jenny enabled domestic cotton spinners to spin yarn much more quickly, but this caused problems with carding, which had to be done prior to spinning. The old method of carding involved the use of hand-held cards covered with tiny spikes to make a loose rope of fibres from cleaned cotton. The process remained slow until Arkwright introduced his carding machine in 1775. This machine was heavy but well suited to being turned by water power, so water-driven carding factories were built on small streams and rivers in the cotton districts. Steam power was used from the 1780s. "
Tags:chartism, clothing, dukinfield, india, luddite, manchester, mill, riot, spinning, strike
