Public Support for Chartism Essay

Which is more than important in explaining the reality support for Chartism scotch circumstances, or the tradition of radical politics?To explain the recrudesce of the technical analyst policy-making movement and the public support it received we need to affect the two main contributing constituents at the time. Historians like Asa Briggs, W.W. Rostow and Gareth Steadman-Jones take differing ideas on which was the most important explanation for the dramatic rise in public support for the chartist movement. Briggs hold with an economical based reason and Steadman-Jones concord with the radical new policies that Chartism offered being the main reason for the growth in support for the movement. This essay will explore these two views and try to differentiate which is the most important.There is evidence of early policy-making reformers dating cover to the 1740s, all lacking(p) universal male suffrage and many of them agreed with parts of the charter. But, due to the French revolution in 1789 and the ongoing fight between France and Britain, political change was resisted in case any of these events were repeated. The state of war had left Britain facing harsh economic circumstances and deep political divides.When Chartism was at its height economic issues were a major(ip) problem end-to-end the poor and working classes. These economic circumstances were a major factor in gaining support for the chartist movement. W.W. Rostow studied this connection to see whether this was a reoccurring theme. He gathered evidence to argue that economic problems maked latent hostility in the debase and working classes. When economic pressures were low the tensions felt by the lower and working classes were low. This is shown in figure 17 graph of social tension 1790-1850 (Stevenson. J. (1978) Longman Atlas of Modern British History, London, Longman p.159).picLooking at the graph it shows tumefy the peaks and troughs of the economic downturns fitted in with the pr otests for parliamentary reforms and the peaks of chartist activities. One such parliamentary reform was the theme petition of 1842 ..your petitioners can produce evidence of the gradatory decline of wages, at the same time that the constant sum up of national burdens (Parliamentary debates (1842) third series, vol. 1xii, cols. 1376 1381). This statement shows that economic conditions were crucial to the public support of Chartism as so many of the working class were seen as poor and in poverty. The cost of living and food increased whilst wages stayed low causing poverty and in turn Ill health and starvation. Dorothy Thompsons view of the support for Chartism was why the British workers responded to hunger by forming a nationwide movement around a political programme. (Thompson, 1971. P11-12). This view of Thompsons clearly links together both the economic situation and the increase of radical political ideas suggesting that the economy might have been struggling at the time bu t the main support for Chartism was rooted in the deeper political issues that were effecting Britain at the time.Gareth Steadman-Jones was in agreement with Dorothy Thompson as he saw Chartisms support as a political solution and saw Chartism as a continuation of radical political ideas from previous years. ..a particular political vocabulary must convey a practicable hope of a general alternative.. (Steadman-Jones, 1983, p.96). The Chartists used a political vocabulary which was easier for the seedy educated and working class to interpret helping gain more attention and mass support across the country. The working classes were hearing solutions for their problems and like the idea of change for the better. The general feel of the working class was evince in the chartist newspaper the morning chronicle we require judge before charity. (Morning Chronicle may 3rd 1842). This was taken from a banner in the crowd of supporters. The speaker in the extract reflects the opinion of th e banner and the feeling of the crowd at the rally. This shows how political motivations were a major factor in the growth of Chartism and how the chartists used public feeling to roll up support.In conclusion to explain the growth and mass support for Chartism and the rise of the political movement which gripped the nation A mix of both economic problems combined with radical political ideas left a nation wanting change the Chartists used the economic situation to tailor support for their cause and increase the idea that political change would improve conditions for the working classes. Chartism would not have had the same effect without a combination of these 2 factors.ReferencesODay, R., Hardy, W., Marsh, G., Padley, S. And Perryman, L.A. (2011)Making whizz Of The Arts, Milton Keynes, The Open University.Briggs, A. (ed.) (1959) Chartist Studies, London, Macmillan cited in Making esthesis Of The Arts Resource Booklet 1, (2011) Milton Keynes, The Open University, P36.Stedman-Jo nes, G. (1983) cited in Making mother wit Of The Arts Resource Booklet 1, (2011) Milton Keynes, The Open University, P37.Yeo, E. (1982) cited in Making whiz Of The Arts Resource Booklet 1, (2011) Milton Keynes, The Open University, P38.Thompson, D. (1984) cited in Making Sense Of The Arts Resource Booklet 1, (2011) Milton Keynes, The Open University, P39.