Chartism

by Asa Briggs

The Chartists were a major influence on the development of parliamentary democracy in the UK. Their name derives from the People's Charter presented twice to parliament (1839 and 1842), which called for universal manhood suffrage, voting by secret ballot and other major electoral reforms. Eventually, most of these demands were met, but this largely working class movement alarmed authorities, who arrested and imprisoned its leaders. Lord Briggs writes vividly of the personalities involved, and places the movement in the context of the development of working-class rights.

Genres: History

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 1998

About the author

Asa Briggs, Baron Briggs was an English historian, best known for his studies on the Victorian era. In particular, his trilogy, Victorian People, Victorian Cities, and Victorian Things made a lasting mark on how historians view the nineteenth century. He was made a life peer in 1976.

Reviews

[Cassidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always been interested in the start of Chartism, as a sort of precursor to our modern working class movements and certainly ones that is never talked about enough. Despite this I did get some indications of what this movement was and how it was started from the short history here, but still I would have wanted more and for it to be written in a more enthralling sort of language. There is one way to write these sorts of books, as shot and factually laden but to the point rather than the sort that focusses on personal narratives and letting us dive into the history from there. This was more of the clipped tone of the first one and sure that’s enjoyable to read quickly and efficiently gather all of the facts but it does not build up the same sort of associations in your mind. The fact this event happened on this date is fine, but what was its significance and how did it form from there? Was it all just one momentum contining forward or where the eddies and whirlpools of history involved. Such things make for more of a novel I know but still sometimes that is how I like to read my non-fiction.