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x CIc;1s-sConflicts c;1nd the-!=c;1i!U1?e of Rc;1dicc;1lis-m in/780 I The collapse of radicalism in 1780 has been recorded by historians, but they have not attempted to give an adequate explanation for this surprising reversal of political trends after the great victory of the Patriots on Free Trade. Bribery has been seen as the main reason for the Government's recovery of control of the Parliament. Undoubtedly Buckinghamshire's use of rewards helped, but in itself it was far from being enough. The policy of building up a pro-government majority had commenced in October, 1779, but during the spring of 1780 the Viceroy had repeatedly expressed his exasperation at the virtual impossibility of depending on pledges of support. The reversal of the movement towards radicalism among members of Parliament must be ascribed to one great cause258 x CIIASS Conflids lAnd the t=lAiluT'e of RlAdiclAlism in /780 I The collapse of radicalism in 1780 has been recorded by historians, but they have not attempted to give an adequate explanation for this surprising reversal of political trends after the great victory of the Patriots on Free Trade. Bribery has been seen as the main reason for the Government's recovery of control of the Parliament. Undoubtedly Buckinghamshire's use of rewards helped, but in itself it was far from being enough. The policy of building up a pro-government majority had commenced in October, 1779, but during the spring of 1780 the Viceroy had repeatedly expressed his exasperation at the virtual impossibility of depending on pledges of support. The reversal of the movement towards radicalism among members of Parliament must be ascribed to one great cause258 THE FAILURE OF RADICALISM IN 1780 259 the consciousness among landlords that the Free Trade agitation was developing into a demand by the middle classes for a real share in political power. At first this realization could not alter the conduct of the members since they continued to fear the extra-parliamentary forces. Thus, Buckinghamshire's efforts to regain control of the Commons were not successful until the summer of 1780. By that time three factors had made themselves felt: the Combinations Act, the Tenantry Act, and the attempt, in which the middle classes were involved, to strip several aristocratic borough-owners of some of their political importance . The achievement of Free Trade naturally led to the question as to how manufacturers might best be able to use the new freedom. Much was said of the country being able to attain prosperity if better methods and a new attitude to work were adopted by skilled workmen. The latter problem was a serious one. There existed in Dublin organizations of such workers known as journeymen combinations and for many years these bodies had been at loggerheads with employers in various manufactures. The journeymen were organized in the different types of manufacture in groups that had the elements of modern labor unions. Each was a tightly knit body subject to regulations of its own and the payment of membership fees and able to present a united front to employers.' In these quarrels it is legitimate to use the term class conflict since they denoted a struggle between two economic groups, identifiable as classes and involving harsh and protracted antagonism. These conflicts occurred in an economy that was still pre-industrial, that is before the advent of the Industrial Revolution. Here the concern was with small capital investment and units of production, comparatively inexpensive and simple machinery operated THE FAILURE OF RADICALISM IN 1780 259 the consciousness among landlords that the Free Trade agitation was developing into a demand by the middle classes for a real share in political power. At first this realization could not alter the conduct of the members since they continued to fear the extra-parliamentary forces. Thus, Bucking~amshire'sefforts to regain control of the Commons were not successful until the summer of 1780. By that time three factors had made themselves felt: the Combinations Act, the Tenantry Act, and the attempt, in which the middle classes were involved, to strip several aristocratic borough-owners of some of their political importance . The achievement of Free Trade naturally led to the question as to how manufacturers might best be able to use the new freedom. Much was said of the country being able to attain prosperity if better methods and a new attitude to work were adopted by skilled workmen. The latter problem...

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