3.The Chartist Movement（1836-1848）

Towards the end of the 18th century，the radical section of the Whigs had challenged the whole basis of the power of the landed aristocracy by demanding a reform in the constituencies of the House of Commons so as to allow the growing towns in the Midlands and north of England to be represented in the House and abolishing the“rotten boroughs”⁵.The oft-cited case of old Sarum in Wiltshire，which was represented in the House of Commons by the nominee of a peer although there was not a single inhabitant in the constituency，was only the worst example of a system under which about 100constituencies，each with fewer than 500voters，had the right to elect an MP，whereas cities like Birmingham and Manchester，with population of 75，000，were not granted to send any member to the House of Commons.Under such circumstances，the industrial and commercial classes，with the support of the working class，demanded to reform the old voting system.After several years debate，in 1832the Reform Bill was passed，which redistributed MPs so as to correspond to the great centers of population，but limited the franchise to those who possessed a level of income such as ensured that electors belonged at least to the middle class.The broad masses of workers and farmhands were still excluded from franchise and conditions were going from bad to worse.Disappointed at receiving a stone for bread，the working class began to realize that only by securing enough representation in parliament could they force the government to pass laws in favor of the poor.This belief led to the Chartist Movement.

In 1836the London Workingmen’s Association was organized to“seek by every legal means to place all classes in possession of equal political and social rights.”In 1837apetition，known as the People’s Charter，was drawn up，which included universal manhood suffrage，equal electoral districts，the abolition of the property qualification for MPs，voting by secret ballot at Parliamentary elections，the payment of MPs，and annual general election.This last demand is the only one that has not now been granted；but all the demands were rejected by the government and the House of Commons in 1839.

The Chartists presented two petitions to the House；both were rejected.After the first，in 1839，some extremists turned from agitation to violence；there were riots，threats of strikes，even an attempt at armed rebellion in South Wales；but none of these disorders were very serious.When the second petition was rejected in 1842，some Chartists tried to organize a general strike；but this failed and the movement collapsed.An attempt to revive it in 1848 also failed.

The failure of Chartism was partly a result of the weaknesses of its leadership and tactics.But these weaknesses were themselves only a reflection of the newness and immaturity of the working class.What was more important，the English bourgeoisie then was still a rising class，had still a positive contribution to make to social progress and could still afford to make substantial concessions to prevent revolt.However，it was after the Chartist Movement that the English working class entered a period of conducting independent political movement against the bourgeoisie.It was for this reason that Lenin called it“the first broad，really mass，politically formed，proletarian revolutionary movement.”