Why Chartism failed
- Created by: Toby Johnston
- Created on: 13-06-24 11:29
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- Why Chartism Failed
- Government Repression
- Fearful following the Newport Uprising (1839), the Gov. imprisoned nearly 500 over 2 years
- Magistrates acted in gov. interest
- Gov. used railway and telegraph to direct troops against chartism
- Police now well established and efficient
- Peel's reforms lessened distress
- e.g Miners Act, Factory Act, reduced corn duties
- O'connor's land company was hounded out of existence by government pressure
- Gov. reacted strongly against the Plug Plots/disturbances of 1842. 1500 went on trial
- Authorities knew about Chartist plans through police spies and so they were one-step ahead of the movement
- Lack of support in Parliameny
- Petitions rejected by parliament in 1839, 1842 and 1848
- Moral Force OR Physical Force
- Lovett is mainly known as a moral force chartist but he defended the Birmingham riots
- Some chartists were distracted into education or 'Teetotal' chartism
- Attwood discusses the use of violence and then left the convention in protest of the threat of physical force
- Moral Force: supporters were moderate and peaceful hoping to achieve Chartist aims by discussion and persuasion, using meetings, pamphlets, petitions etc. Believed in peaceful and legal methods.
- Physical Force: More impatient and wanted quick results prepared to use violence.
- O'connor is known as a physical force chartist but often advocated for more peaceful apporahces
- Lack of Leadership
- The newly enfranchised middle class were unwilling to share the power
- Chartists never won enough Middle-class support
- Leaders had no plan after the 1839 petition was rejected
- After 1839, too much depended on the local leaders
- Local differences, which made unity difficult and central organization weak
- The convention split in 1839
- Movement split over 'Sacred Month'
- The newly enfranchised middle class were unwilling to share the power
- Hunger politics
- Support of chartism ebbed and flowed with the depressions
- Economic recovery in the 1840s (the railway boom) saw a decline in support for chartism
- Government Repression
- Strength of the Authorities
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