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Chartist Revolution
“Let there be no blinking the question. These are not the times to be nice about mere the fact is that there is but one mode of obtaining the Charter, and that is by insurrection.” George Julian Harney Chartism was the first time ever that British workers fixed their eyes on the seizure of political in 1839, 1842 and again in 1848. In this struggle, they conducted a class war that at different times involved general strikes, battles with the state, mass demonstrations and even armed insurrection. They forged weapons, illegally drilled their forces, and armed themselves in preparation for seizing the reins of government. Such were the early revolutionary traditions of the British working class, deliberately buried beneath a mountain of falsehoods and distortions. This book sees Chartism as an essential part of our history from which we must draw the key lessons for today.
- GenresHistory
570 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 21, 2020
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85 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 11, 2022
here is chartist revolution. it is super excellent and also super important. gotta understand and know history to be able to predict events n change the future. is from WellRed books!!! shoutout to the women throwing rocks at scabs - iconic behaviour
March 22, 2021
Where to begin? This book is a fantastic resource for those seeking to uncover the revolutionary side of Chartism, tonnes of primary sources and great mixture of art, literature, newspapers and speeches really highlight the real life of this movement and the emergence of the British working class into its own history.
The choice that faced the workers of Britain the 1830s and 1840s is the same choice we have today: between conservativeness, reformism and bourgeois pragmatism or between scientific socialism, revolutionary militancy and internationalism.
This book is crucial to socialists especially British socialists today to uncover the genuine revolutionary content of these mass movements which have been systematically written out of history both by the bourgeois and the petty bourgeois reformists.
But it is not enough to just interpret the world as always the task is to change it...this text provides a powerful weapon in the struggle going forward: lessons in programme, tactics, theory and most importantly leadership.
(This is also a highly accessible text as someone who knew nothing about Chartism going into it)
The choice that faced the workers of Britain the 1830s and 1840s is the same choice we have today: between conservativeness, reformism and bourgeois pragmatism or between scientific socialism, revolutionary militancy and internationalism.
This book is crucial to socialists especially British socialists today to uncover the genuine revolutionary content of these mass movements which have been systematically written out of history both by the bourgeois and the petty bourgeois reformists.
But it is not enough to just interpret the world as always the task is to change it...this text provides a powerful weapon in the struggle going forward: lessons in programme, tactics, theory and most importantly leadership.
(This is also a highly accessible text as someone who knew nothing about Chartism going into it)
May 31, 2021
Chartist Revolution, by Rob Sewell. A Review.
By K. Bell
I gave this book five stars on Goodreads before I even read it. That’s not a rousing endorsement of the book (or the author of this review) though, so now that I am done I feel compelled to justify that preemptive rating.
The author is a Marxist, the publisher is a Marxist publisher, and the means by which the author explores the topic of the book are something of a demonstration of Marxism. This is important to consider when reading the book. Like Kropotkin’s book on the French Revolution, in it the author makes no attempt to obscure his bias. This is what might be called ‘history from below.’
Academic classifications aside, unlike Kropotkin’s work, this book doesn’t suffer from a hint of impressionism. To that end, as is pointed out in the valuable chapter 10, Marxism must be viewed as a method. And aspects of it are well demonstrated in Sewell’s book. As he points out, Marxism is not dogma, doctrine or creed. Though it must be admitted that those of us who consider ourselves Marxists are fully capable of turning it into one.
As a method it rests on what Lenin called “The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism.” Two of those “Sources,” or, “Components” for which Marxism is infamous amongst the bourgeoisie and their defenders are Marxist Economics and Dialectical Materialism. The first being the product of Marx’s labours in the British Museum, and the second being the philosophical grounding of Marxism.
It is the grounding on which Marx’s demonstration of the inherent nature of exploitation within capitalism depends. But Dialectical Materialism is also the grounding of that third “component” of Marxism, ‘Historical Materialism.’ The three “components” are interrelated, and together form the basis of “scientific socialism,” the term which Marxists, going back to Marx himself, prefer to Marxism. The three “components” of “scientific socialism” cannot be learned independently of one another. Ignore any one of the three parts and it might be like flying a jet without bothering to learn something about weather systems.
My personal feelings aside (I also consider myself a Marxist and have been an active supporter of the same International that the author belongs to), this book is worth reading if you are looking for an easy to read, well documented, and informative piece of nonfiction.
The notion of a ‘history from below’ is one that goes back, according to Kramer and Mitchell, to Lucien Lefebvre in 1923. More relevantly, at least for this review, they point out that the phrase first entered English language historiography in 1966, as part of the title for EP Thompson’s “discussion of New History. “ Thompson’s ‘Making of the English Working Class” is listed as a source for Sewell’s book.
Citing ‘history from below as a “canon,” Kramer and Mitchell note the work of Natalie Zemon Davis who is credited as a writer on the film adaptation of the Martin Guerre story, which she later then wrote as a history. According to Wikipedia ‘The Return of Martin Guerre’ is a morality tale about Identity Theft. Nevermind that in 1982 the term hadn’t entered the language, the idea is that a man (Martin) returns from war. As time passes it turns out he is not the person he claimed he was, and he is executed. ‘History from below’ is an idea that, as Kramer and Mitchell put it, “... inspired a generation of social and labour historians.”
That is where the third pillar of Marxism comes into play, this book is a brilliant example of Historical Materialism. It not only relies on the words of the Chartists themselves, but (demonstrating the other two “components” of Marxism) the author also puts the movement firmly within the context of developing capitalism (though North American history and its relevance to the British class struggle may deserve more than the few mentions it gets). That aside, history in the hands of Marxists makes what is sterile in the hands of bourgeois apologists vital to the interests of today’s exploited class, the working class.
And above all this book makes history vital. Not something many history books can claim. It does so by demonstrating that the Charitist revolution, in which both the ideas of socialism and revolution were always implicit, ultimately failed to achieve the basis for socialism. The question it seeks to answer is ‘why did it fail?’
Posing the topic this way, there are lots of reasons to read this book, even if you aren’t a revolutionary socialist who considers themselves a Marxist. Just one example. In today’s political landscape, when the working class in the US and Canada are confronted with the likes of Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau, it is not unusual for people to be swayed by the “lesser evilism” of left wing bourgeois politicians. Dealing with the likes of Feargus O’Connor it is also at least implied that “lesser evilism” can also come from the right. Especially as the working class becomes aware of itself as a class, and learns to fight for its interests, beware the right wing reactionary populist. This underlines the importance of theory in separating the revolutionary from the opportunist factions in the working class’ struggle for liberation.
If you are looking for a book that will introduce you to the historical phenomena of Chartism, be warned, the author of this book does not engage with its subject as if it were a virus under a microscope in some lab somewhere. This is the class struggle. The conclusion that the failure of the Chartist revolution can be attributed to the failure of its leadership is another coincidence with Kropotkin’s book.
The question of leadership is the point at which this history deviates from being merely another ‘history from below.’ And it is interesting to note for those who insist on leaving aside the issue of leadership that in the case of Martin Guerre, he is still a criminal, and the state still executes him. The issue of leadership for the working class in the class struggle, especially as capitalism struggles and fails to serve the interests of the class on which it depends for its profits, is also a circumstance noted by Engels in his assessment of the Chartist movement. As the Chartist theorist Bronterre O’Brien put it long ago, “...the desire of one man to live on the fruits of another’s labour is the original sin of the world…” That was then just as it is today.
Even if Kropotkin warns of betrayal while Sewell (as well as Marx and Engels who Sewell demonstrates were influenced by the Chartist revolution) sobrely assesses circumstances while evaluating the role of leadership in the class struggle, both understand the importance of a leadership grounded in revolutionary theory. Sewell is not alone in pointing towards the question of leadership as essential to the victory of the revolution. A condition which he is quite justified in pointing at, as explained in the book on the basis of more contemporary events.
But just because it is unashamed, unapologetic, and wholly intentional doesn’t make it a bad book. Rather, it makes it an honest book. A valuable addition to a reclamation of our past, and a call to arms to ensure our future. If you have time to read, then pick this up. It will be worth it.
By K. Bell
I gave this book five stars on Goodreads before I even read it. That’s not a rousing endorsement of the book (or the author of this review) though, so now that I am done I feel compelled to justify that preemptive rating.
The author is a Marxist, the publisher is a Marxist publisher, and the means by which the author explores the topic of the book are something of a demonstration of Marxism. This is important to consider when reading the book. Like Kropotkin’s book on the French Revolution, in it the author makes no attempt to obscure his bias. This is what might be called ‘history from below.’
Academic classifications aside, unlike Kropotkin’s work, this book doesn’t suffer from a hint of impressionism. To that end, as is pointed out in the valuable chapter 10, Marxism must be viewed as a method. And aspects of it are well demonstrated in Sewell’s book. As he points out, Marxism is not dogma, doctrine or creed. Though it must be admitted that those of us who consider ourselves Marxists are fully capable of turning it into one.
As a method it rests on what Lenin called “The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism.” Two of those “Sources,” or, “Components” for which Marxism is infamous amongst the bourgeoisie and their defenders are Marxist Economics and Dialectical Materialism. The first being the product of Marx’s labours in the British Museum, and the second being the philosophical grounding of Marxism.
It is the grounding on which Marx’s demonstration of the inherent nature of exploitation within capitalism depends. But Dialectical Materialism is also the grounding of that third “component” of Marxism, ‘Historical Materialism.’ The three “components” are interrelated, and together form the basis of “scientific socialism,” the term which Marxists, going back to Marx himself, prefer to Marxism. The three “components” of “scientific socialism” cannot be learned independently of one another. Ignore any one of the three parts and it might be like flying a jet without bothering to learn something about weather systems.
My personal feelings aside (I also consider myself a Marxist and have been an active supporter of the same International that the author belongs to), this book is worth reading if you are looking for an easy to read, well documented, and informative piece of nonfiction.
The notion of a ‘history from below’ is one that goes back, according to Kramer and Mitchell, to Lucien Lefebvre in 1923. More relevantly, at least for this review, they point out that the phrase first entered English language historiography in 1966, as part of the title for EP Thompson’s “discussion of New History. “ Thompson’s ‘Making of the English Working Class” is listed as a source for Sewell’s book.
Citing ‘history from below as a “canon,” Kramer and Mitchell note the work of Natalie Zemon Davis who is credited as a writer on the film adaptation of the Martin Guerre story, which she later then wrote as a history. According to Wikipedia ‘The Return of Martin Guerre’ is a morality tale about Identity Theft. Nevermind that in 1982 the term hadn’t entered the language, the idea is that a man (Martin) returns from war. As time passes it turns out he is not the person he claimed he was, and he is executed. ‘History from below’ is an idea that, as Kramer and Mitchell put it, “... inspired a generation of social and labour historians.”
That is where the third pillar of Marxism comes into play, this book is a brilliant example of Historical Materialism. It not only relies on the words of the Chartists themselves, but (demonstrating the other two “components” of Marxism) the author also puts the movement firmly within the context of developing capitalism (though North American history and its relevance to the British class struggle may deserve more than the few mentions it gets). That aside, history in the hands of Marxists makes what is sterile in the hands of bourgeois apologists vital to the interests of today’s exploited class, the working class.
And above all this book makes history vital. Not something many history books can claim. It does so by demonstrating that the Charitist revolution, in which both the ideas of socialism and revolution were always implicit, ultimately failed to achieve the basis for socialism. The question it seeks to answer is ‘why did it fail?’
Posing the topic this way, there are lots of reasons to read this book, even if you aren’t a revolutionary socialist who considers themselves a Marxist. Just one example. In today’s political landscape, when the working class in the US and Canada are confronted with the likes of Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau, it is not unusual for people to be swayed by the “lesser evilism” of left wing bourgeois politicians. Dealing with the likes of Feargus O’Connor it is also at least implied that “lesser evilism” can also come from the right. Especially as the working class becomes aware of itself as a class, and learns to fight for its interests, beware the right wing reactionary populist. This underlines the importance of theory in separating the revolutionary from the opportunist factions in the working class’ struggle for liberation.
If you are looking for a book that will introduce you to the historical phenomena of Chartism, be warned, the author of this book does not engage with its subject as if it were a virus under a microscope in some lab somewhere. This is the class struggle. The conclusion that the failure of the Chartist revolution can be attributed to the failure of its leadership is another coincidence with Kropotkin’s book.
The question of leadership is the point at which this history deviates from being merely another ‘history from below.’ And it is interesting to note for those who insist on leaving aside the issue of leadership that in the case of Martin Guerre, he is still a criminal, and the state still executes him. The issue of leadership for the working class in the class struggle, especially as capitalism struggles and fails to serve the interests of the class on which it depends for its profits, is also a circumstance noted by Engels in his assessment of the Chartist movement. As the Chartist theorist Bronterre O’Brien put it long ago, “...the desire of one man to live on the fruits of another’s labour is the original sin of the world…” That was then just as it is today.
Even if Kropotkin warns of betrayal while Sewell (as well as Marx and Engels who Sewell demonstrates were influenced by the Chartist revolution) sobrely assesses circumstances while evaluating the role of leadership in the class struggle, both understand the importance of a leadership grounded in revolutionary theory. Sewell is not alone in pointing towards the question of leadership as essential to the victory of the revolution. A condition which he is quite justified in pointing at, as explained in the book on the basis of more contemporary events.
But just because it is unashamed, unapologetic, and wholly intentional doesn’t make it a bad book. Rather, it makes it an honest book. A valuable addition to a reclamation of our past, and a call to arms to ensure our future. If you have time to read, then pick this up. It will be worth it.
March 28, 2021
The Chartists were the first working class party in Britain (and the entire world) and hold countless lessons for the labour movement today, yet are almost entirely forgotten. The 'official' histories have buried this heroic movement in distortions and dry academic waffle in order to obscure the revolutionary significance of the period, and promote the myths of the British reformists. This book is the first to put the Chartists in their proper place in the history of British and international socialism, and as such should be essential reading for everyone in the labour movement today.
It's also a thoroughly accessible and enjoyable book, without any of the sterility of academic histories, and stuffed to the brim with quotes, poems, speeches, extracts, (and, above all, revolutionary enthusiasm). I have never been so unable to put down a history book.
It's also a thoroughly accessible and enjoyable book, without any of the sterility of academic histories, and stuffed to the brim with quotes, poems, speeches, extracts, (and, above all, revolutionary enthusiasm). I have never been so unable to put down a history book.
April 22, 2021
Workers today have the same choices to make as those of the early to mid-1800s: bourgeois pragmatism and reformism or scientific socialism and revolutionary militancy?
This book will allow you to decide which one of those is the best method of bringing about meaningful change.
Chartist Revolution is an important read for socialists, it provides a wonderful analysis from a Marxist perspective of what was arguably the first working class party in Britain, highlighting the revolutionary influence that the movement had on the British working class.
Using excellent writing – which is both engaging and accessible – and the inclusion of extracts from speeches and newspapers from the period, Sewell explores the historical significance of The Chartists, which is often downplayed or not at all included in most accounts of the origins of the British labour movement.
This book will allow you to decide which one of those is the best method of bringing about meaningful change.
Chartist Revolution is an important read for socialists, it provides a wonderful analysis from a Marxist perspective of what was arguably the first working class party in Britain, highlighting the revolutionary influence that the movement had on the British working class.
Using excellent writing – which is both engaging and accessible – and the inclusion of extracts from speeches and newspapers from the period, Sewell explores the historical significance of The Chartists, which is often downplayed or not at all included in most accounts of the origins of the British labour movement.
October 18, 2025
Obwohl es schon länger auf meiner Leseliste war, habe ich das Buch konkret für eine Uniarbeit aufgegriffen, die sich mit der Lyrik von Georg Weerth (sogar einmal von Sewell zitiert) auseinandersetzt und inwieweit das Weltbild Weerths durch den Kontakt zu den Chartisten in England beeinflusst wurde.
Das Buch ist eine Bereicherung für alle Kommunisten. Es gibt einen Einblick in die Entstehung der organisierten Arbeiterbewegung und zeigt unweigerlich das Zusammenspiel von Theorie und Praxis. Dementsprechend stecken sehr viele wichtige Lehren für alle Marxisten auch für das Hier und Jetzt in diesen Seiten. Sewell arbeitet vor allem heraus, dass den Chartisten eine Theorie - die Theorie des wissenschaftlichen Sozialismus - gefehlt hat, und sie so zu mehreren Höhepunkten der Bewegung daran gescheitert sind, die Arbeiterklasse zum Sieg - zur Machtübernahme - zu führen.
Ich finde es vor allem eine Bereicherung darin, aufzuzeigen, wie viele Kämpfe, Forderungen und Fragen, die der Marxismus beantwortet, organisch in der Arbeiterklasse entstehen. Die Frage nach Reform oder Revolution ist so alt, wie die Arbeiterbewegung selbst und stellt sich in heutigen Zeiten in anderen Formen immer wieder. Auch die Notwendigkeit einer unabhängigen Arbeiterbewegung ist eine Perspektive, die von uns immer wieder betont werden muss, und damals zum ersten Mal erfasst wurde. Kommunisten sollten Geschichte nutzen, um aus ihr zu lernen: Marxismus verstehen, als die Verallgemeinerung und die Lehren aus den Klassenkämpfen der Vergangenheit.
Auf jeden Fall weiterzuempfehlen, sehr verständlich und auch ohne historisches Vorwissen, geht man mit einem soliden Überblick über die erste organisierte Arbeiterbewegung der Menschheitsgeschichte raus.
Das Buch ist eine Bereicherung für alle Kommunisten. Es gibt einen Einblick in die Entstehung der organisierten Arbeiterbewegung und zeigt unweigerlich das Zusammenspiel von Theorie und Praxis. Dementsprechend stecken sehr viele wichtige Lehren für alle Marxisten auch für das Hier und Jetzt in diesen Seiten. Sewell arbeitet vor allem heraus, dass den Chartisten eine Theorie - die Theorie des wissenschaftlichen Sozialismus - gefehlt hat, und sie so zu mehreren Höhepunkten der Bewegung daran gescheitert sind, die Arbeiterklasse zum Sieg - zur Machtübernahme - zu führen.
Ich finde es vor allem eine Bereicherung darin, aufzuzeigen, wie viele Kämpfe, Forderungen und Fragen, die der Marxismus beantwortet, organisch in der Arbeiterklasse entstehen. Die Frage nach Reform oder Revolution ist so alt, wie die Arbeiterbewegung selbst und stellt sich in heutigen Zeiten in anderen Formen immer wieder. Auch die Notwendigkeit einer unabhängigen Arbeiterbewegung ist eine Perspektive, die von uns immer wieder betont werden muss, und damals zum ersten Mal erfasst wurde. Kommunisten sollten Geschichte nutzen, um aus ihr zu lernen: Marxismus verstehen, als die Verallgemeinerung und die Lehren aus den Klassenkämpfen der Vergangenheit.
Auf jeden Fall weiterzuempfehlen, sehr verständlich und auch ohne historisches Vorwissen, geht man mit einem soliden Überblick über die erste organisierte Arbeiterbewegung der Menschheitsgeschichte raus.
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