The industrial revolution however, did not come without its consequences. Home based manufacture became factory based and new machines meant that not as many people were needed to produce the same amont of produce. Resent to this was shown in the Luddite riots. Luddites were a group opposed to the use of new machines in the factories. They developed as a movement 1811 – 1817 as a reaction to what they saw as a threat to their livelihood. Hey believed that products produced in factories were inferior as they were not mad by people with the proper skills.
The social consequences of industrialisation increased he ever growing gap between rich and poor. This created a group of the working class to feel hatred towards the government. The rigour of factory work was also adding to the distress. Physical conditions were poor and and long hours were enforced. The employment of young women and children denied legal protection and industry exploited this. The threat of imprisonment hung over anyone who refused rates of pay!
Making these socio – economic revolutions sem even worse was a rising population. But rather than the population change being the problem, it was the speed at which it was increasing. This acceleration was becoming the beginning of a destabalised society.
What did this rising population mean? The increased pressure on the land was too much for farmers to deal with, farming in the 19th century was not up to sustaining such a rapid population growth. The Speenhamland system, a system of poor relief set in 1795 that attempted to help the large numbers of unemployed, was put under strain. It was always assumed hat paymnts were made on family size employers knew that they could underpay because the difference would be made up by the Speehamland systrm.
The country had ben at war for a quarter of a century which increased national debt around four times. Industry that had enjoyed a boom for so long had come to an inevitable stop and depression. Industrial and postwar circumstances made ‘peace without plenty’ so painful.
Rural crisis conditions had been developing since 1813. Wheat prices were at a low due to good harvest and imports. Money borrowed during the boom had to be payed back at this time of falling prices. The corn law in 1815 was supposed to help but this is debatable. Survivors of this agricultural crisis did so by reducing wages making economic conditions worse in an already economically unstable country. The government had to do something to do with the reduce in demand for products due to the end of the war! This and 400,000 soldiers neded to be accounted for as they returned from war.
A radical movement formed from people opposed to the government developed with ideas such as liberty, equality and botherhood. They were demanding a more reprasentative parlimntary system where the government would represent all the people. Annual elections ensuring MP’s are working to the good of the country always. A secret ballet that would stop bribery and intimedation of people living on landowners land.
The radical movement was revived after 1815 because radicals had been deprived of displaying grievances in a lawful manner during wartime. The Radical message was spread in different ways such as radical press, political clubs and most importantly open – air meetings.
The first majour open display of Radical discontent was the machine breaking Luddite riots mad worse by the bad harvest. The Radicals open – air meetings as a form of protest was taken as a serious threat to the government following a series of three meetings at Spa Fields in London at the and of 1816. Following this the government passed the seditios meetings act banning all political gatherings march 1817. A small band of workers planned a march from St Peters field in Manchester to London to present their grievances to the prince regent. The march was peaceful and was in defiance of government legislation. The march ended when authorities in Stockport needlessly killed a protestor.
