ep thompson
Everyday in society, somebody is challenging something. Everyone believes that they can make a difference. This manner of critical thinking allows for lifestyles to be altered on a regular basis. Much of this is caused by the creation of countercultures that oppose the so-called "norm" or popular culture. In the past, such people have been labeled revolutionary or enlightened thinkers. In E.P. Thompson's book, The Making of the English Working Class, he focuses on how these enlightened thinkers came to be. He discusses the argument of democracy, religion and economic status. These three elements discussed in the first part of the book titled "The Liberty Tree" are ideas in a theory known as industrialism.The book begins with an introduction to the hostility between the working class and the voting class. By the end of the first chapter the reader is aware that groups of enlightened thinkers are forming and wish to see a democracy within England. Following the works of Cromwell, literary working class males create organizations to fight for their right to vote. As groups such as these began to spread throughout Europe, new sects of freethinking individuals emerged. These groups were originally called Levellers in early
This transformation in names occurred over a century starting with the Levellers in late 1640's and advancing to enlighten thinkers in the late 1790's. These new groups along with the groups who wished for democratic rights began to publicly spread their views, allowing for enlightenment to spread throughout the country and eventually into the Church, which had been closely tied in with the government. Examples were debarment from the government, law or military. Like the government, this economy was in need of reform. The only connection that the working class had to the wealthy was the "Quakers", a group that belonged to the working class but was beginning to accumulate wealth by creating factories. The effect of these groups on the government was the imposition of fear, because now simple people were starting to resist conformity. Labeled rebels by the church they were subsequently condemned by the government and stripped of various civil rights. An additional concern came with the word that Jacobin groups in France had overthrown the King. The rise occurred due to a trial against Henry Yorke a reformer from Sheffield. This idea was quickly crushed since the wealthy realized they made less money. Thompson begins his second major point by discussing the turmoil between the various religions. People in these groups were considered by their peers to be enlightened thinkers, while outsiders, such as members of the Church of England, would considered them rebellious. By creating their own religion, ordinary working class people learned basic organizational skills needed to help create a democracy in the future.
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