OCR Specification focus:
‘reasons for the emergence of Chartism, support for Chartism’
Chartism emerged in the 1830s as a working-class movement demanding political reform. Its origins lay in economic hardship, disenfranchisement, and disappointment with earlier reforms.
Origins of Chartism
Economic Background
The movement’s roots were strongly tied to widespread economic distress across Britain. The industrial revolution brought rapid social change but also deepened divisions.
Unemployment rose sharply during downturns in trade and manufacturing.
Low wages and dangerous working conditions characterised life for many industrial workers.
Periodic trade depressions, particularly in the late 1830s, intensified grievances.
Many workers associated their plight not only with industrial capitalism but also with political exclusion. They believed that only by achieving political representation could they address these economic problems.
Political Exclusion
A central origin of Chartism was exclusion from the franchise. Despite the 1832 Reform Act, many working-class men were disappointed to find themselves still disenfranchised.
The Act extended the vote to the middle classes, but left out most labourers and artisans.
This created a sense of betrayal, as reform had been celebrated but delivered little to the working class.
Franchise: The right to vote in political elections.
This exclusion fostered the belief that further political reform was essential for genuine change.
Radical Traditions
Chartism did not emerge in a vacuum. It drew upon earlier radical traditions:
The radical movement of the 1790s, inspired by the French Revolution, had demanded representation and equality.
Trade unions and working men’s associations nurtured political awareness in the early 19th century.
Figures such as William Cobbett and the London Working Men’s Association inspired campaigns for political reform.
Thus, Chartism built on a culture of political radicalism that had persisted despite government repression.
Failure of Other Reforms
Other reform attempts also fed into Chartist origins:
The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act created workhouses that symbolised oppression and state neglect, fuelling hostility.
The lack of progress in parliamentary debates after 1832 frustrated reformers.
Labour disputes, such as the Tolpuddle Martyrs case (1834), demonstrated the vulnerability of working people and the need for stronger political rights.
For many, these developments confirmed that economic and social reform would not be achieved without a political voice.
The People’s Charter
At the heart of Chartism was the People’s Charter, drawn up in 1838 by the London Working Men’s Association. It set out six points that became the movement’s rallying cry:
Universal male suffrage
Equal electoral districts
Secret ballot
No property qualification for MPs
Payment of MPs
Annual parliaments
People’s Charter: A document outlining six key political reforms demanded by Chartists in 1838.
These demands reflected both immediate working-class needs and the longer radical tradition. For Chartists, the Charter symbolised hope for justice and equality.
Support for Chartism
Social Base of Support
Chartism gained support across a diverse range of social groups, though the industrial working class was its backbone.
Artisans and skilled workers were especially active in organising and writing.
Unskilled labourers and factory workers provided mass support through rallies and petitions.
Some middle-class radicals, disillusioned by the limitations of the 1832 Reform Act, also lent their voices.
Support was strongest in regions hit hardest by economic distress, such as the industrial North, the Midlands, and South Wales.
Economic and Social Motivations
Different groups were attracted to Chartism for varying reasons:
Workers sought political power to secure fair wages and better conditions.
Many saw Chartism as the answer to poor relief injustices and the hated workhouses.
Rural labourers in some areas looked to Chartism as a way of combating poverty and agricultural decline.
Chartism thus represented a broad coalition, united by the belief that political reform was the foundation for social improvement.
Methods of Mobilisation
Chartist support was strengthened by innovative methods of organisation:
Petitions to Parliament gathered millions of signatures, showing widespread backing.
Mass meetings and rallies demonstrated unity and collective strength.
Daguerreotype of the Great Chartist Meeting at Kennington Common in 1848, recording one of the largest Chartist rallies. It demonstrates the scale of mobilisation and the importance of collective protest within the movement. Source
Chartist newspapers, such as the Northern Star founded by Feargus O’Connor, spread ideas and maintained momentum.
Front page of the Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser, a Chartist newspaper central to spreading ideas and coordinating campaigns. The masthead and dense print highlight its role as a mass communication tool for the movement. Source
These strategies gave the movement both visibility and legitimacy, despite government resistance.
Regional Variations
Support for Chartism varied across Britain:
In industrial towns like Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham, workers saw Chartism as essential to redressing urban grievances.
In South Wales, mining communities provided strong backing, particularly during economic hardship.
In Scotland, there was a long-standing radical tradition that merged with Chartist demands.
Regional diversity meant that while Chartism was a national movement, it was shaped by local contexts.
The Broader Significance of Support
Support for Chartism also stemmed from the broader climate of discontent in Britain during the 1830s and 1840s.
Disappointment with reform and economic depression pushed many towards radical politics.
The fear of repression, though strong, did not prevent mass participation.
Chartism represented both a political movement and a social protest, uniting varied demands under one common agenda.
Ultimately, its wide support base and origins in disenfranchisement, economic hardship, and radical tradition ensured Chartism a central place in 19th-century political history.
FAQ
Feargus O’Connor was a key leader and driving force behind the movement. He founded and edited the Northern Star, which became the most influential Chartist newspaper.
Through his speeches and writings, O’Connor appealed directly to working-class grievances, giving the movement a strong and charismatic voice. His advocacy of the Land Plan, which aimed to resettle workers on smallholdings, broadened Chartism’s appeal beyond industrial areas.
Support in South Wales was linked to the hardships of coal miners and ironworkers, whose livelihoods were vulnerable to fluctuations in trade.
The 1839 Newport Rising showed the region’s militancy, where thousands marched in support of imprisoned Chartists.
South Wales combined deep economic insecurity with traditions of collective protest, creating fertile ground for Chartism.
Women played an active role, forming female Chartist associations in towns such as Leeds, Manchester, and Glasgow.
Their contributions included:
Organising petitions and fundraising.
Attending and speaking at mass meetings.
Promoting education and political awareness within communities.
Though excluded from the Charter’s demand for universal male suffrage, women saw Chartism as a vehicle for improving family and social conditions.
The petitions were central demonstrations of mass support. The first petition in 1839 claimed over 1.2 million signatures, while the 1842 petition had more than 3 million.
Although Parliament rejected them, the petitions showcased the breadth of working-class backing and legitimised Chartist demands. They also exposed divisions, as the failure to secure reform pushed some Chartists towards considering more radical or physical-force tactics.
Support varied significantly depending on regional circumstances:
Industrial North and Midlands: centred on factory workers and artisans, demanding political rights to address wage and working condition issues.
Scotland: drew upon older radical traditions from the 1790s and early 19th century.
Rural areas: Chartism resonated where agricultural decline left labourers impoverished.
These differences meant Chartism was never a monolithic movement, but instead adapted to the local grievances of communities across Britain.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
Give two reasons why Chartism emerged in the 1830s.
Mark scheme:
1 mark for each valid reason identified (maximum 2).
Possible answers:
Disappointment with the 1832 Reform Act, which excluded most working-class men.
Economic hardship and unemployment caused by trade depressions.
Anger at the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act and the workhouse system.
Influence of radical traditions and earlier reform movements.
(Any two for full marks.)
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain why Chartism gained widespread support in the 1830s and 1840s.
Mark scheme:
Level 1 (1–2 marks): Simple statements, generalised answers with little detail.
Example: “People wanted the vote” or “They were poor.”Level 2 (3–4 marks): Some explanation with supporting detail, covering more than one reason.
Example: “Many workers supported Chartism because they wanted political rights like universal male suffrage. Others supported it due to economic hardship and unemployment.”Level 3 (5–6 marks): Developed explanation, well-supported with specific knowledge, showing clear understanding of a range of factors.
Example: “Chartism gained support because the 1832 Reform Act had excluded most working-class men from the franchise, creating resentment. Economic hardship from trade depressions and low wages pushed workers towards political reform. In addition, the hated 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act and the workhouse system drove many to demand change, while Chartist newspapers such as the Northern Star helped to spread ideas and organise mass support.”
