THE IMPACT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION ON BRITAIN

How Britain sees the French Revolution:

Britain is not affected as much as other countries because:

1)Britain already has a constitutional monarchy (this is not a democracy), as opposed to the absolutist monarchy the French just ditched. The British monarchy became constitutional in 1688-9 during the Glorious Revolution  when a Bill of Rights was issued.

2)Britain is an island nation  thus Britain’s land is not contiguous with the rest of Europe, so it isn’t likely to be invaded by the French. Britain is also protected by the Channel, and a large navy. (Battle of Trafalgar in 1884 shows how good this navy is).

However, the French Revolution does have an impact on British society, politics and economics.

Britain’s initial reception of the French Revolution:

Britain approves: It looks as if the French are adopting the constitutional British monarchy as a model for their own. Especially welcomed by the Whigs, as it seems to be a reaffirmation of the changes they put forward in 1688. The Whigs assumed that both 1688 and the French Revolution are about liberty from an overbearing monarchy.

Charles James Fox (A Rockingham Whig) backs the revolution. He is enthusiastic because he assumes the French are emulating the British institution (eg: initially, the French have a constitutional monarchy: they don’t kill the king immediately). The majority of the political class are opposed to the revolution  Fox has a minority of about 60.

But, by 1792, it’s clearly not on the English model. It’s more Jacobean.

Earliest Critic:Edmund Burke. He published “Reflections of the Revolution in France” in 1790, which stated that liberty can only end in anarchy.

The revolution splits the political ‘class’. E.g. Burke and Fox had been friends before 1789.

The more conservative Whigs were led into coalition with Pitt by the Duke of Portland in 1794. Pitt’s group is the dominant political grouping until 1830.

The French Revolution stimulates RADICALISM (=want of fundamental changes in the political system). Key figure = Thomas Paine.

Thomas Paine wrote a 2-part book called Rights of Man. The book defends revolution, democracy, and the idea of a republic. ROM part 2 sold 200,000 in 6 months. Paine had to leave the country. He becomes a member of the national assembly  he represents Calais. He flees to America after opposing the execution of Louis.

Forms of Radical Activity

1)Sheffield Society for Constitutional Information (1791)

2)London Corresponding Society (1792)

The societies held mass meetings to hear popular orators.

What they wanted:

1)Universal Suffrage

2)Proper representation in Parliament (ensuring that anyone can become an MP)

3)Abolition of the Monarchy

These ideas were not new, but they have a new audience by the 1790s, especially amongst the lower classes (such as artisans and skilled craftsmen)

The ideas surfaced again because the war caused disruption of trade, so an economic crisis occurs. Corn can’t be imported (cheaper than Brit. Corn), so prices rise and people can’t afford it. Prices went up further still due to a bad harvest in 1795.

The Government’s response to radicalism.

1)Proclamation of seditious writings (1792)

Controls Propaganda

 

2)Government suspends HABEAS CORPUS (1794)

This means that the government can detain people indefinitely without charge.

 

3)Seditious meetings act (1795)

Controls mass meetings

 

4)New taxes on newspapers (1798)

This raises the price, so less people buy papers (so less radical ideas spread).

 

5)Propaganda

Anti French, and anti-radical.

1815-1820 PM- Lord Liverpool (1812)

Home secretary = Sidmouth

Foreign Secretary = Castlereigh.

(Castlereagh has the job of defending policy in the Commons because Sidmouth is in the Lords.

 

Causes of Radicalism/Discontent

The Napoleonic Wars

• The war had caused the disruption of trade
• European tariffs had been imposed
• When the war ended, there was a slump in demand for textiles and iron. This causes unemployment.
• Unemployment also increases because the army is demobbed.
• Patriotism is no longer a unifying factor

Existing Difficulties

• Agricultural and Industrial revolutions have caused hardships
• In Agriculture, the enclosure movement climaxed in the Napoleonic Wars (as it is more cost-effective) & this created large numbers of landless laborers
• Demobbing has increased the size of the labour pool, so wages are lowered accordingly
• Urbanization caused by the Industrial Revolution. Towns grow so rapidly that they are unplanned, and slum conditions happen (overcrowding & poor hygiene)
• Technological Unemployment means that workers are replaced by machines. People who operated looms are replaced with the power looms, esp. in Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire. This makes workers very radical.
• Truck system (paid in produce) is resented (abandoned in 1820)
• The Corn Law causes economic discontent. It proves the dangers of a landowning Parliament, as they act in their own interests. The Corn Law is thus a major theme of radical propaganda. (response: repression, with things such as the Six Acts).

Is repression productive or counter-productive?

From 1820, there was a great improvement in exports. This helps the unemployment situation. Also, a series of good harvests meant a decrease in the price of bread. So people were happier!