Chartism
Also called: People's Charter 1838 · Topic: The Age of Industrialisation · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Chartism was a British working-class movement that lasted from about 1838 to 1848. It took its name from the People's Charter, which listed six demands:
- votes for all men
- secret ballot
- annual parliaments
- payment of MPs
- no property qualification for MPs
- equal constituencies
Workers believed that political rights would help them fight low wages and poor living conditions. Parliament rejected the movement's petitions. Later, however, most of its demands became law.
Example
In 1848, Chartists held a large meeting at Kennington Common in London. They sent a huge petition to Parliament, which rejected it.
Don't confuse with
- Luddites (1811–1816): they broke machines to protect their jobs. The Chartists sought political reform through petitions and votes.