The Rise of Chartism Movement in Britain

 

The Great reform Bill of 1832 disappointed many working men, who hoped they would be give the vote. Their anger against the governing classes was further fueled by two events in 1834.

1.TheTolpuddle Marty’s, workers had to endure terrible working conditions for low wages in the early nineteenth century. Until 1824-25 the Combination Acts prohibited the formation of trade unions. Even after their repeal the trade unions made slow progress, until Robert Owen founded the Grand National Consolidated Trades Unions in 1833. Half of million workers joined the union. Things looked bright until six farm workers were prosecuted in1834, for trying to start trade union in the Dorset village of Tolpuddle. Working people were shocked and frightened when the Tolpuddle Martyrs were sentenced to transportation to Australia. Soon afterwards the Grand National union collapsed.

2.The poor law Amendment Act. This law was passed to ensure that in future, able-bodied paupers would only be supported out of the poor rate if they lived in the local workhouse. Parliament decided that life in the workhouse should be deliberately made harsh and unwelcoming, to deter paupers form going there by choice. But those who were unemployed had little alternative. Understandable this vindictive law was bitterly resented by the working class

Agitation for Reform

Working people seemed to have two main alternatives if they wanted to improve their living standards;

1.They could follow the example of the Persian workers and throw barricades across the streets and try to get what they wanted by starting revolution.

2.they could attempt to get working class people elected as members of Parliament. They vote could then be bring in the reform which were needed.

Chartism.

These were the seeds of Chartism. Francis Place, the reformer who was largely responsible for getting the combination Acts repealed, joined with William Lovett (Secretary of the London Workingmen’s Association) and john Roebuck (a radical member of parliament) to draw up a People Charter. They aimed to collect signature to a monster petition to be presented to parliament, an as an indication of the strength of public opinion. No fewer than three of these petitions were presented in 1839, 1842 and 1848 but to no effect.

Chartism became the center of a general working class movement demanding social justice. The reform of parliament was only the means to attaining the end. Once parliament was reformed, to make it possible to elect working class MPs, then other reforms were bound to follow. So Chartist slogan were used by workers on strike and by opponent of the poor law Amendment Act. It attracted middle-class people, who genuinely wanted to see parliament reform and it appealed to those who hankered for a revolution. At once stage workers in the norther industrial towns led by a radical speaker called Fergus O’Connor, looked as if they might take violet action in support of the Charter. Violence. In 1839 large group of many hundreds of Welsh miners, armed with clubs and other weapons, attempted to seize the town of Newport but the plan misfired. Shorts were exchanged with soldiers and the ringleaders arrested. In 1842 striking miners in Stoke—on-Trent listened to Thomas Cooper, a Chartist speaker, denouncing the oppressors of the poor. Afterwards they went on the rampage, breaking into shop and attacking any coal mines still at work. When an army officer confronted the mob and asked what they wanted, back came the reply “our rights and liberties, the Charter, and more to eat” It is not surprising, there that the authorities saw the Chartist as potential revolutionaries and failed to distinguish between the actions of the mob and those who genuinely desired the reform of Parliament The Effects of Chartist Movement The chartist Movement fizzled out soon afterwards worker no longer felt bitter their living standards were rising and working conditions slowly improved. But although the Charted had no immediate effect, most of the “The six Points” eventually became law.

The Six points of the People’s Charter. A vote for every adult male, over 21, of sound mind, not a criminal. this is called adult male suffrage.it was eventually achieved in 1918.  Secret ballots, to protect the voter, so his employer could not influence the way he voted, this became law in 187.  Annual parliaments, to ensure that member of parliaments (MPs) did not against the wishes of their constituents. The necessity for this measure disappeared with the development of the party system under Gladstone and Disraeli in the middle of the nineteenth century.  No property qualification, for MPs so that poor men could also stand for parliament as well as the rich. This requirement was eventually abolished but, in 1918 to ensure that only genuine candidates stood for election, all candidates were required to deposit a sum of money which they lost if they failed to get a fixed percentage of the votes. Payment of salary to member of parliament so that working men, shopkeeper and tradesmen could afford to give up their jobs and business and stand for parliament. At that time only the well-to-do with private income could afford to become members of the House of Commons. This became law in 1911, when members were paid a salary of $4000 per annum. Constituencies of equal size, so that every constituency had the same number of voters. The redistribution of the seat Act in 1885 made substantial alterations to constituency boundaries