Radicalism and reform 1789-1812

Question 1

What was the impact of the French revolution ?

Answer 1

• initially there was some optimism with people like Fox claiming it was the French version of Britain’s Glorious revolution. But this was ended and many either saw the events as inspiring or horrifying.
• Edmund Burke wrote ‘Reflections on the revolution in France’, arguing that abandoning a whole political system will lead to disaster.
• Tom Paine wrote ‘The right’s of man’ in response to Burke and argued that dramatic changes in Britain were necesary.

Question 2

Radicalism
early 1790’s

Answer 2

• corresponding societies, influences by Paine’s work were set up, these were for the most part peaceful organisations that believed in change through logic. example - LCS

Question 3

Radicalism
mid 1790’s

Answer 3

• radicalism peaks due to harvest failures and high wheat prices.
• Monster meeting at Copehagan House in 1795 saw 100,000 people in attendance.
• Protests against the king with chants : ‘no Pitt, no war’. A pane of glass on the King’s coach was broken and the whole coach was later destroyed.

Question 4

Radicalism
late 1790’s

Answer 4

• radicalism is pushed underground.
• people became plotters and more revolutionary as they could no longer bring change through logic.
• radical societies were set up like the United Irishman which also inspired the United Scotsman and Englishmen in 1797. These groups were willing to use violence but were infiltrated quickly.
• The previous moderate LCS were also becoming more violent and a whoe committee of them were arrested.

Question 5

Other examples of radicalism

Answer 5

• 1797 mutinies : Spithead and Nore mutinies were the work of Navy sailors, these were more like strikes over pay and conditions. However the leader of the Nore mutiny was inspired by the Rights of Man and wanted to take the ship to France but the sailors refused.
• Irish rebellion of 1798 : Under leadership of Wolfe Tone the rebels started an uprising but were defeated. At the end of the rebellion a small French force arrived but it was also defeated.
• Colonel Despard’s plot 1802 : there was another resurgence in radicalism after price rises, Despard planned to assasinate George III and takeover key strong points like Bank of England. It was discovered and he was executed

Question 6

Pitt’s reign of terror

Answer 6

• Royal proclamations 1792 : fearful of Paine’s book, the procamations called magistrates to search out authors and distributors of ‘seditious writings’. Fearful of this Paine moved to France.
• Suspension of Habeus Corpus 1794: suspended to tackle LCS’s tactic of open air meetings. This was highly criticised by Fox.
• 2 Acts 1795 : passed after the attack on the kings coach.
  Seditious meetings act - no meetings over 50 people without permission of a magistrate
  Treasonable practices act - widened the definition of treason.
• Combination act 1799 - banned trade unions

Question 7

Loyalist response to radicalism

Answer 7

• the french revolution caused fear and therefore led to a huge surge in radicalism. Radicalism and loyalism enjoyed a symbiotic relationship.
• Church and King mobs - emerged in Birmingham, 5 days of rioting with supporting the church and king.
• Reeves association : established in London, recieved government support and set up branches across the country, stressed the need to counteract radical ideas. 2,000 branches set up and disrupted local meetings as well as distributing loyalist publications.
• Volunteer militia : set up in case of a French invasion, just short of 500,00 volunteers enlisted by the time of the Napoleonic invasion scare.