[LAF] fwd Radical History Event

[LONDON EVENTS]

Please circulate
   
        THE NEXT MEETING OF THE RADICAL HISTORY OF NORTH LONDON 
IS AT 8PM. ON WEDNESDAY 14TH JUNE
AT THE WOOD GREEN LABOUR CLUB, STUART CRESCENT, LONDON, N22

"1839: Chartism in London and the Struggle for the right to Vote   Dave 
Black"

In Britain in 1839, out of a population of twenty five million, only 
seven hundred thousand were entitled to vote. The whole system excluded 
the bulk of the population who thus had no say in the parliament that 
made the laws. The Chartist movement began with agitation and William 
Lovett, leader of the London Working Men's Association drew up the 
People's Charter, which called for  

• Right to vote   for men only, ending the property qualification 
[finally "achieved" in 1867, but all women only got the vote in 1928] 1

• more equal electoral areas for elections, to avoid corruption

• payment of MPs so that workers could get elected.
• secret ballots at elections, to prevent intimidation

• annual parliaments [never achieved.]

The Charter was signed as a petition by millions of desperate 
protesting people, and presented to Parliament. This was done three times over 
nine years between 1839 and 1848. The rejection of the Petition by the 
House of Commons led to mass rioting, armed insurrections in South Wales 
and northern England, a first ever political general strike in 1842 and 
finally,., more unrest in the European year of revolutions in 1848. The 
capital was a one centre of the movement, which as largely based in the 
North. NE London especially was active, with several of the agitators 
coming from, or representing Finsbury. Many marches, meetings, 
assemblies or demonstrations took place in the Caledonian Road area. The black 
Chartist leader, William Cuffay, was a tailor, based in London.

Eventually these reforms were more or less won in 1867, or 1884, and 
fairer elections have been held regularly since then. However, wider 
questions relate to the electoral situation today  

• after a century of the politics of representational capitalism, why 
do so many people think the whole process is a waste of time  Some 
advocate abstention ; does voting matter ?

• Can we ever achieve a fair deal through parliament? Do elected 
people keep promises?

• afternatively, is there ever likely to be a successful insurrection 
or 
revolution in this country?

In his talk David Black will focus on events in London in 1839, in 
particular, the founding of the Chartist National Convention, which acted 
as a "People's Parliament" because it actually represented more people 
than did the House of Commons. He will also discuss the debates between 
Lovett's "moral force" [more moderate] supporters and the physical 
force" (outright miliant socialist] movement represented by George Julian 
Harney's London Democratic Association.

David Black is author of Helen Macfarlane, a Feminist Philosopher and 
Revolutionary Journalist in Mid~19th Century England. He is also co 
author, with Christopher Ford of a forthcoming book on 1839, the Year of 
the Chartist Uprisings. In addition. for this talk you may went to read 
David Goodway: London Chartism 1838   48 [1987, 333pp), or Mark O'Brien: 
Perish the Priviliged Orders   a socialist history of the Chartist 
movement (1995 , 144pp).

Radical History Network of North-East London - PO Box 45155, N15 4WR


  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
       South Place Ethical Society
   
       www.ethicalsoc.org.uk/events.httm
   
  see  
  www.eventsandissues.bravehost.com


Visit The Events And Issues Website 
for LAF page and lots more
http://www.eventsandissues.bravehost.com/
 
BOYCOTT NESTLE
www.babymilkaction.org.
 
Check Out Events At Conway Hall
www.conwayhall.org.uk/events.htm
 
Free John Graham see Events and Issues Site
 

 








Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.aktivix.org/pipermail/laf/attachments/20060529/e5b9bd39/attachment.htm>