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Forgotten Heroes: The 1820 Radical War |
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Beyond this peculiarly Scottish trend of literacy, it must be stated that the major influence on the 1820 Rising is the fact that those involved had lived in an age of revolution for over a generation. The American Revolution of 1776 had already struck a blow to kingship and its attendant system of feudal privileges.
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However, the French Revolution of 1789 was to send deeper shockwaves through British society. Here was proof for everyone to see that an ancient system of privileges could be toppled, that the common people could put themselves at the centre of power, and that republicanism was a viable option.
However, although the French Revolution was an emblem of the possibility of change, radicals in Britain weren’t keen to openly associate themselves with the imperialist tendencies of Napoleonic France after Waterloo, and British radicalism was different in that it was peculiar to a Britain that was leading the world into the industrial age.
The period following the American Revolution was a time in Scotland when groups calling themselves Friends of the People pushed gently for reform. These consisted of enlightened aristocrats, members of the rising middle classes, professional people, skilled artisans, and, especially in Scotland, literate, politically motivated workers. Also, the popularity of Corresponding Societies spread north from England, and helped to disseminate many reformist ideas. These ‘clubs’ were perceived to be perfectly respectable by most, and they epitomise the early spirit of the reformists, which often equated to moral and civic responsibility by ‘educated’ people in British society.
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