Chartism, Commemoration and the Cult of the Radical Hero

Chartism, the British mass movement for democratic and social rights in the 1830s and 1840s, was profoundly shaped by the radical tradition from which it emerged. Yet, little attention has been paid to how Chartists saw themselves in relation to this diverse radical tradition or to the ways in which they invented their own tradition. Paine, Cobbett and other 'founding fathers', dead and alive, were used and in some cases abused by Chartists in their own attempts to invent a radical tradition. By drawing on new and exciting work in the fields of visual and material culture; cultures of heroism, memory and commemoration; critical heritage studies; and the history of political thought, this book explores the complex cultural work that radical heroes were made to perform.

List of contents

List of tables and figures

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction

Part 1: Chartism and the Radical Tradition

1. Inventing the Radical Tradition







2. Unfurling the Radical Tradition: the Visual and Material Culture of Chartism










3. History, Memory and the Rituals of Pantheonism







4. Using and Abusing the Radical Tradition









Part 2: The Cult of the Radical Hero/Villain





5. The Chartists and Mister Thomas Paine







6. Forging the Radical Tradition: Chartism, Currency and Cobbett










7. Richard Oastler and the Chartists







8. Daniel O’Connell, Chartism and the Atlantic World

Conclusion

Selected Bibliography

Index

About the author

Matthew Roberts is Reader in Modern British History at Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.

Summary

By drawing on new and exciting work in the fields of visual and material culture, cultures of heroism, memory and commemoration, critical heritage studies and the history of political thought, this book explores the complex cultural work that radical heroes were made to perform.

Product details

• Authors: Matthew Roberts, Matthew (Sheffield Hallam University Roberts
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.03.2021
• EAN: 9780367784096
• ISBN: 978-0-367-78409-6
• No. of pages: 228
• Series: Routledge Studies in Modern British History
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Miscellaneous; European History, HISTORY / General, Social & cultural history, c 1800 to c 1900, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, British & Irish history, United Kingdom, Great Britain, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / General, Social and cultural history, Socialism & left-of-centre democratic ideologies, Left-of-centre democratic ideologies