Early British Non-Violence and the Chartist movement

1. Early British Non-Violence and the Chartist movement The English Tradition, from Godwin to Lovett and the ‘moral force’ Chartists

2. Early Influences • American Revolution, 1776 Popularised arguments for reform • French Revolution, 1789 Aroused traditional political radicalism of the Ennglish middle class Rights of Man, Thomas Paine • William Godwin (1756 – 1836) Utilitarianism Enquiry concerning political justice, 1793 Opposed violent revolution Redistribution of wealth

3. The origins of Chartism • Chartist movement: 1838 – 48 • Political reform/social regeneration • Social aims inconsistent • Working class movement? • Earlier radical movements/ 1983 Reform Act • Era rather than movement : Dorothy Thomson “thousands of working people considered that their problems could be solved by the political organisation of the country”

4. 1832 Reform Act • Act was designed to "take effectual Measures for correcting divers Abuses that have long prevailed in the Choice of Members to serve in the Commons House of Parliament” • Limited reforms Widened the franchise but still excluded the working classes • Political disappointment/anti capitalist notions • As a result of the limited reforms a group of London Artisans conceived a “People’s Charter”

5. The People’s Charter, 1837 “to seek by every legal means to place all classes of society in possession of their equal political and social rights”

6. The People’s Charter, 1837 • Every male over 21 is entitled to the franchise in his district after a residence of three months • Voting is by ballot • No property qualification for MPs • Parliament to be elected annually • There will be equal constituencies • payment of members enabling an honest tradesman or working man to serve a constituency

7. Marc Newman : “Workers were increasingly conscious of their numerical superiority and their vital importance in producing the wealth of society, and they saw the Charter as a stepping stone to advancing the interests of ordinary people”

8. Rejection of the Charter • One and a quarter million signatures • Rejected by a vote of 235 to 46 • Leaders arrested • Newport Rising, Nov 1939 • A second petition with 3 million signatures was rejected in 1842; the rejection of the third petition in 1848 brought an end to the movement. • Failure – Why?

9. Divisions within the movement • The question of how to put the Charter into practice became central • Belief in the power of moral force on one hand and the advocating of physical violence on the other

10. William Lovett and ‘Moral Force’ • Led the originators of the Charter, the London Working Men’s association (1836) • Secretary of Chartists (1839) • National Association for Promoting the Political and Social Improvement of the People, 1841 • Moral force would be sufficient to win the Charter

11. ‘Moral Force’ • Opposed use of physical force / disliked illegal activity • Rely on persuasiveness and justice • Public meetings, pamphlets and newspapers • Alliance with middle classes • Accused of “watering down” demands • Focused on educational arguments

12. ‘Physical Force’ • George Julian Harney and insurrection • Fergus O’Connor and the Northern Star • “Again I say, we are for peace, but we must have justice – we must have our rights speedily: peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must” • Violence as Chartism disintegrated at Ashton, Loughborough and Newcastle • John Frost, Newport Rising, 4th November 1839

13. Would the Chartist movement have been more successful if the ‘Moral Force’ strategy had prevailed? • How successful was the movement? • Lack of consistency and unity • Legacy

14. Yes • Yes - a consistent, ‘Moral Force’ strategy may have resulted in a quicker achievement of their aims • ‘Physical force’ destroyed credibility Riots Newport Rising, November 1839 • Factions • ‘Physical force’ associated with fake signatures

15. No • Socialist perspective: Marc Newman • Failure of moral rectitude and rational argument to win concessions from ruling class • Use of revolutionary force essential

16. Points of discussion Why did the Chartist movement fail? Would violent or non-violent methods have been more likely to succeed?