Labour and Radicals in English Politics Party Formation, Suffrage, and Ireland,

Practical and Intellectual Context Trades Union Congress –est No real radicals—goal of workers was to become more successful in capitalism—not to transform capitalism Fabian Society—evolutionary change by ascertaining direction toward which society and economy is moving and making pro-active adjustments. Sidney Webb & Beatrice Webb, History of the English Poor Law

Sidney ( ); Beatrice ( )

So what? The Webbs and other Fabians had access to those who ran England and their research data could identify areas in need of reform. Their work helped transform the reforming impulse, that had been done initially to prevent revolution, then out of religiously- based morality, into a more data-driven, empirically-based enterprise.

Labour Party: The Challenge 1871 Trade Unions Act exempted railroad union from corporate responsibility. Taff-Vale Case (1900)—Labour recognized need to change law making their members responsible for business losses during a strike—need to have political party. Osborne Case (1909)—Union funds can’t be used for political purposes.

Labour Party: The Success Labour M. P.s and workers generally supported Liberals in 1909 Budget Crisis Liberals pass Trade Union Amendment Act in 1911—Union Funds can be used for political purposes Strikes in embitter labor-management relations WWI—Labor is patriotic but demands post-war reforms and Labour constitutes itself a separate party in the wake of the demise of the Liberal Party.

Kier Hardie ( )

Women’s Suffrage Emmeline Pankhurst—Women’s Social and Political Union—1903 Disrupted political meetings, demanding votes for women 1908—arrested for disrupting Commons—hunger strikes while in prison March 1, 1912—Oxford and Regent Street windows smashed June 4, 1913—Emily Davison at Epson Derby February Lloyd George’s house burned by WSPU

Emmiline Pankhurst

Force-feeding a Suffragette

The Ghost of Emily Davison

Emily Davison being toppled by Anmer, June 4, 1913

Ireland Home Rule forces had money and arms from Irish relatives in the U. S. Irish Protestants in Ulster armed themselves and were determined to resist Home Rule Edward Carson ( ) led Irish Unionists; railed against evils of Catholicism Soldiers said that they would not contribute to Home Rule; if forced, they’d quit the army and join the Irish Unionists Violence in Ireland Increases.

Edward Carson