Analyzation of "The First National Petition, 1839"

The First National Petition, 1839 Chartists

The English middle class in 1839 felt an urgent need for change. In this demand for change, they wrote this petition and turned it in to their governing body. The purpose is simple: convince the politicians of the ruling party to pass laws and reforms in the benefit of the people. Its ideas were democratic and socialist at the least. It's importance is clearly noted in the fact that it is the first real push from the working classes for a better life. The Chartists want peaceful negotiations and law-making. They were not seeking militant means to achieve their desires. To them, the ends did not jusitfy the means, because already so many of the people they supported was dying, and could barely rise up and fight. Metternich would not see these demands in a positive view; more than not, he would have probably seen this as a threat needed to be put down. Metternich's conservative style meant that power stayed within the wealthy and nobility, and there was definitely to be now power sharing between poor commoners and filthy rich nobles.