Was Chartism an inevitable Was Chartism an inevitable failure?failure?

““The Chartists were doomed to failure The Chartists were doomed to failure even before the final form of their Charter even before the final form of their Charter was drafted” was drafted” A. BriggsA. Briggs

““The historian of Chartism… can hardly fail The historian of Chartism… can hardly fail to be saddened by the extraordinary to be saddened by the extraordinary feebleness of the greatest of all the mass feebleness of the greatest of all the mass movements of British labour”movements of British labour” E. J HobsbawmE. J Hobsbawm

Was Chartism an inevitable failure?Was Chartism an inevitable failure?

After 1848 – According to J. K. Walton in After 1848 – According to J. K. Walton in ‘Chartism’, economic explanations ‘Chartism’, economic explanations carrying weight in determining in its carrying weight in determining in its failure;failure;

““railway building and expanding world railway building and expanding world markets helped to stabilize the early markets helped to stabilize the early industrial economy, depressions bit less industrial economy, depressions bit less deep and real wages began to rise more deep and real wages began to rise more convincingly”convincingly”

““Working people had shown that they Working people had shown that they could organise a movement for could organise a movement for themselves, and this experience of self-themselves, and this experience of self-help, working class culture and fellowship help, working class culture and fellowship provided a foundation for the building of provided a foundation for the building of the Labour movement….the Labour movement….

These were small rewards for the These were small rewards for the optimism and commitment of those who optimism and commitment of those who had marched for the Charter.” had marched for the Charter.” H. MartinH. Martin

Divisions in the Working Class contributing Divisions in the Working Class contributing to the inevitable failure of Chartism?to the inevitable failure of Chartism?

Walton – Rise of “a new kind of ‘labour Walton – Rise of “a new kind of ‘labour aristocracy’ of the skilled and the secure, aristocracy’ of the skilled and the secure, with its own institutions and a stake in the with its own institutions and a stake in the system, for whom the Charter began to system, for whom the Charter began to seem an irrelevance”seem an irrelevance”

““Fierce opposition to Irish Catholics whose Fierce opposition to Irish Catholics whose numbers increased considerably and numbers increased considerably and controversially in the wake of the potato controversially in the wake of the potato famine after 1846”famine after 1846”

““Expected to batter down prejudice with petitions Expected to batter down prejudice with petitions says more about their naivety than their says more about their naivety than their understanding of the reality.”understanding of the reality.”

No chance of House of Commons support of the No chance of House of Commons support of the Charter.Charter.

Why should the Middle Class support Chartists?Why should the Middle Class support Chartists? Effective handling by both Whig and Tory Effective handling by both Whig and Tory

Governments – prison sentences in most cases Governments – prison sentences in most cases “relatively short, to avoid creating martyrs” “relatively short, to avoid creating martyrs”

H. Martin – Britain in the 19H. Martin – Britain in the 19thth Century Century

A powerful force that resulted in an increased awareness of A powerful force that resulted in an increased awareness of social issues and created a framework for future working-social issues and created a framework for future working-

class organisations.class organisations.

Mark Hovell - from Mark Hovell - from The Chartist Movement Despite apparent failure, Chartism had a part of its Despite apparent failure, Chartism had a part of its

own in the growth of modern democracy and own in the growth of modern democracy and industrialism." industrialism."

Edward Royle – ChartismEdward Royle – Chartism

““The Chartists’ greatest achievement was Chartism, The Chartists’ greatest achievement was Chartism, a movement shot through not with despair but with a movement shot through not with despair but with hope.”hope.”

Raising ‘The Condition of England Question’Raising ‘The Condition of England Question’

Successes of Chartism – feel free Successes of Chartism – feel free to disagree – from a PhD studentto disagree – from a PhD student

At the time, it gave a much-needed and severe shock to the established order. At the time, it gave a much-needed and severe shock to the established order. It made the extent of the 'Condition of England Question' clear to the government and It made the extent of the 'Condition of England Question' clear to the government and

the middle class. the middle class. It improved working-class morale It improved working-class morale It provided excitement and a sense of community and purpose. It provided excitement and a sense of community and purpose. It showed the more intelligent leaders the necessary, contemporary methods of It showed the more intelligent leaders the necessary, contemporary methods of

agitation and indicated the importance of middle-class support. agitation and indicated the importance of middle-class support. It provided the prototype for later working-class movements by demonstrating the It provided the prototype for later working-class movements by demonstrating the

importance of a working-class voice: intelligent, ordered, and philosophical. importance of a working-class voice: intelligent, ordered, and philosophical. It marked the rise of class-consciousness. It marked the rise of class-consciousness. It showed the necessity for action in response to the conditions and limitations of the It showed the necessity for action in response to the conditions and limitations of the

social system for the worker. social system for the worker. It is too easy to dismiss Chartism for its failure - but it is important to set it in its mid-It is too easy to dismiss Chartism for its failure - but it is important to set it in its mid-

19th century context. 19th century context. It enabled the working class to learn from its mistakes. They needed a self-generated It enabled the working class to learn from its mistakes. They needed a self-generated

leadership for success (TUs; Keir Hardie etc.)leadership for success (TUs; Keir Hardie etc.)

““To use a hazardous comparison To use a hazardous comparison then, then,

it can be said that the Chartist movement resembles a prelude which contains in an undeveloped form the musical theme of the whole opera.

In this sense the British working class can and must see in Chartism not only its past but also its future...”

Leon Trotsky writing in 1926

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/

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