Paul Barnabic European History AP Fleming February 14, 2014 The Chartists The Industrial Revolution of the eighteen

hundreds not only transformed Europes economy, but it also impacted many individuals standards of living. For the most part, the first generation of laborers who underwent the revolution experienced lower standards of living. As work left peoples homes, many laborers moved to cities and became subjected to many hours of work and poor conditions in the dangerous factories. Although there is no denying that these inventions, such as the Spinning Jenny, improved productivity, the benefits were not immediately seen by all. Consequently, many men and women sought to take action. Some skilled laborers formed trade unions, which worked to ensure certain wages and reduce the number of craftsmen supplied. Others took a more rebellious route, such as the Luddites did, destroying numerous machines that they felt threatened their jobs. This social unrest eventually led to ideas of political change; soon an organization known as the Chartists formed. The Chartists were a group of men and women who desired democracy for England. These Chartists beliefs reflected a document known as The Peoples Charter. The Peoples Charter called for male suffrage, a paid parliament, the elimination of property requisites for members of parliament, and annual meetings of parliament. These ideas can be seen in the Chartists two national petitions, one that was signed in 1839 and another that was signed in 1842. The Petition of 1839 effectively conveys the views of the working class of the time and calls for great change. The Petition of 1839 begins by stating that Englands wealth is unequally distributed and that many suffer while a few indulge in overwhelming prosperity. The Chartists then argue that [this] cannot long continue, without very seriously endangering the stability of the throne, and the peace of the kingdom. The petition then continues to explain what the Chartists believe is necessary for the nation as a whole to prosper. Reflecting the Peoples Charter they argue for universal suffrage of all men, with private voting. The private voting, in theory, would ensure that no citizens would be swayed by the wealthy. Next, to reduce corruption and ensure public safety, as well as public confidence parliament must meet at least once a year. Furthermore, members of parliament must no longer need to hold land of their own, for this practice limits parliament to consist solely of out-of-touch elites. Finally, to ensure that the poorer members of parliament do not face financial difficulties while serving the public, it was demanded that they become entitled to a fair salary. This document contains an undeniable bias. This document reflects the views and opinions of English societys poor. This being the case, there are noticeable criticisms of the wealth and there is likely some exaggeration, such as the statement about the kingdoms security. Although this is the case, the document maintains a

certain degree of objectivity. Its demands are strictly logical and do not offer room for personal opinion. The Chartists petitions were unsuccessful despite the millions of signatures they received. It becomes clear that parliament was not yet ready for such a dynamic political change, yet the significance of these petitions is clear. For the first time in English history the working class united and worked to a common goal. This unification of Englands lower classes would lead to the eventual adoption of The Peoples Charter in the years to come as well as other successes.