The birth of romantic radicalism

Popular radicalism survived the repression and mass loyalism of the 1790s and responded, to become by 1809 the most respected voice of opposition to Tory policies in the House of Commons and the country. The first purpose of this book is to explore the interrelationship between political activity, popular opinion, international affairs and constitutional reform to provide a much-needed review of radical activity in the first decades of the nineteenth century. The second, more contentious, purpose is to challenge the Whig, marxist and revisionist assertions as to the nature of popular radicalism before the Reform Act of 1832. Peter Spence argues that the period of the long wars against France brought about a dramatic change in popular British political sentiment. The rhetoric of romanticism swept away ideas of the rights of man; in effect, radicalism became popular by adopting the language of the elite, which could then be attacked from within without fear of accusations of treason. The book goes on to point out the failings of romanticism; in particular, its role in the split between reformers who supported and participated in trade and those who did not. Hence it offers an explanation of the class antagonism which divided the Anti-Corn Law League and the Chartists. Both through review and provocative argument, this book describes and explains a period of central historical importance, and will appeal to academics in the fields of political theory, literature and philosophy, as well as history.