Industrial revolution (governm
How far did popular unrest contribute to political reform?The pressure supplied by large numbers of people and many different lobby groups at the time of early industrialisation, did to a large extent, help forge a way for political reform, however it was not the only factor. In the metamorphosis period of industrialisation where British industry went from cottage to factory styles of production, the working classes suffered a huge fall in living and working conditions. Disease was out of control, sanitation was non-existent and child and women labour were the flavour of the day. These deplorable conditions awakened a social consciousness in the lower gentry that had such an intimidating effect on the aristocracy that change was imminent. Ideas such as Marxism, socialism, Chartism, liberalism, utilitarianism and humanitarianism were grafted into the bourgeoisie psyche. The period 1760-1830 saw an incresed concern for human unhappiness, and especially for that of the young. It was Peel who, stimulated by a Manchester physician, Thomas Percival, pressed on Parliament the need for regulation of the factories. His Act of 1802, the Health and Morals of Apprenticeships Act, limited hours of work and prescribed minimum standards of h
Thus with prevailing melancholy over the working and middle classes political reform was recognised by the oligarchy as a way of appeasing social agitation and accordingly a way of maintaining power. It ended in tragedy with eleven people killed and many injured. However it found most of its support in the industrial middle class. Chartists, Marxists and the many other groups were prevalent and strong in number. The fear of a people's revolution was foremost on the minds of the landed aristocracy in Britain during industrialisation. Among the emerging middle class a need for political power soon produced non-violent methods of swaying parliament. The fear of revolution sparked from the French Revolution some fifty odd years before contributed greatly and just as important were the unionism and lobby groups which were formed at this time. It was best known for its Six Points, which proposed: universal manhood suffrage, equal electoral districts, vote by ballot, payment of members of parliament, removal of the property qualifications for Members of parliament and annual elections. These changes helped improve strands of living but also emphasised the dramatic effect that popular unrest had on political change. Public unrest was one of the major driving forces behind the changes. It was not until the whole apparatus of government had been drastically reformed and a body of qualified public servants had been called into being could life in urban areas be other than ramshackle. Riots and public disturbances were not uncommon during the time of 1811 to 1842. These groups often organised strikes and demonstrations that sometimes ended in full-blown riots.
Common topics in this essay:
Charter' Six,
France British,
Green Manchester,
Laws Act,
,
Apprenticeships Act,
Chartists Marxists,
French Revolution,
Ideas Marxism,
Orator Hunt,
middle class,
political reform,
living conditions,
popular unrest,
fall living conditions,
fall living,
political change,
political reforms,
contributed political,
aristocracy change,
social consciousness,
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Acceptance Essays
