The Age of George III

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Opposition to Liverpool's ministry from outside parliament

During the period 1812-22, it could be said that England suffered more, economically, socially and politically, than during the French Wars. Consequently there were a number of manifestations of discontent and distress. There was opposition to the policies of Lord Liverpool's government. This opposition came from inside and outside parliament.Opposition to the government outside parliament included that from

• William Cobbett, the son of a farmer/innkeeper. He had been a ploughboy; became a soldier in Canada and later one of the leading English journalists. In 1800 he started the Weekly Political Register and in 1806 he: began to call himself a Radical, because he hated the poor pay and worse conditions of farm labourers. The Register became an important Radical paper. In 1816 he reduced the price of the Register to 2d and sales rose to 60,000 a week. Politicians called the Register 'twopenny trash'. In 1830, Cobbett's Rural Rides exposed rural conditions. He opposed use of force by the government and looked to parliament for redress of grievances; he advocated annual parliaments and universal suffrage. Many Hampden Societies were set up because of his influence.
• Henry 'Orator' Hunt, a Wiltshire farmer, advocated annual parliaments, a secret ballot and universal suffrage. He was an excellent speaker - especially as a demagogue/mob orator. He made speaking tours of especially the north, to demand parliamentary reform. He was present at the Peterloo Massacre
• Jeremy Bentham, the Utilitarian, who criticised all that failed to serve its purpose and had himself stuffed on his death (so you will have to follow this link, won't you...).
• Thomas Spence, a bookseller who died in 1814. He advocated the nationalisation of land to alleviate distress. Spence was a philosophical of the English revolutionary school.
• Arthur Thistlewood and the Watsons - father and son - were followers of Spence, but of the 'physical force' school. They were ardent republicans who discredited reform and lost much moderate support for it. They had vague ideas about a general insurrection.
• The Manchester School of Economics as epitomised by Richard Cobden, John Bright and the Anti-Corn-Law League, attacked protectionism and were followers of:
• David Ricardo, who died in 1823. From 1809 he argued that economic problems were a result of inflationary banking policies. He was a forceful economist and radical critic of government who won the support of a parliamentary select committee in 1811. Ricardo wanted a metallic currency and deflation. In 1817 he published his Principles of Political Economy and Taxation and in 1819 he was one : member of the Bullion Committee of inquiry (along with Peel and Huskisson) which recommended return to Gold Standard. Ricardo wanted free trade in corn to allow industry to expand. He also advocated reform of the fiscal system.