Chartism — British Democratic Reform Movement
The Chartist movement emerged from the disappointment of the working classes with the Reform Act of 1832, which had extended the franchise to the middle classes but left most working men without a vote. The People's Charter, drafted in 1838, set out six demands: universal male suffrage, the secret ballot, annual parliaments, equal electoral districts, payment of Members of Parliament, and abolition of the property qualification for MPs. Three massive petitions were presented to Parliament: in 1839 (with 1.3 million signatures), 1842 (with 3.3 million — the largest petition in British history), and 1848 (coinciding with European revolutions). All three were rejected, often amid ridicule. Physical-force Chartists, led by Feargus O'Connor, clashed with moral-force advocates led by William Lovett. The Newport Rising of 1839 in Wales led to the last transportation for political offences from Britain. Chartism faded after 1848 as economic conditions improved, but it left a profound mark on British political culture and literature, and almost all its demands became law between 1858 and 1918.
- Year: 1838 CE
- Category: Political
