Chartism was the first democratic
movement of modern times. Its aim was essentially to bring about universal
suffrage. In their social teaching Harney, O’Brien and Jones agitated for a
return to the land of the industrial working classes and built model villages.
Their agitation ended in 1848 when they marched on London. They ran out of steam thereafter and
Marx latched onto the dogends which were left as usual, holding the large Irish
element in contempt. Marx corresponded with Harney who showed little or no
interest in having anything to do with Marx.
The Chartists’ ideals of a return
to the land, housing estates and countryside communes were given new life in
the period from 1900 to 1937 with housing estates in London and the development of new towns.
The vitality of the Chartists
lives on. In 1918 universal suffrage was granted in Britain.
