Universal League for the Material Elevation of the Industrious Classes
- Universal League for the Material Elevation of the Industrious Classes
The Universal League for the Material Elevation of the Industrious Classes was a 19th Century English political movement and organization.
It was founded on 14 December 1863 by Marquis Townshend who was one of the few aristocrats to support the reform movement. It was made up of Radicals and trade union representatives. It was chaired by John Bedford Leno and its vice-presidents included Edmond Beales, J.A. Nicholay and Captain E. Dresser Rogers who were all to become Reform League officials.
Its aims were ambitious and were to:-
*reduce working hours
*promote franchise extension
*promote the international fraternity of workers
*increase recreational and educational opportunities
Townshend obtained rooms at 18 Greek Street to use as the Universal League's headquarters. They were also used as the home of the International Working Men's Association a few months later.
Initial efforts concentrated on the right to public assembly and the amendment of the Master And Servant Act but once Gladstone declared his conversion to parliamentary reform the League's efforts were redirected to suffrage. A Universal League Reform Committee was formed to concentrate on manhood suffrage, however Townshend objected to its formation as he feared control was being wrested from his hands. This did not go down too well with the other League members who made plans throughout the autumn and winter of 1864-5 to form a separate Reform League. As a result the Reform League was inaugurated on the 23 February 1865, leaving the Universal League defunct.
References
* "Respectable Radical" - by F.M. Leventhal published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1971 - ISBN 297 00224 4
Additional citations:-
Wikimedia Foundation.
2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
Reform League — The Reform League was established in 1865 to press for manhood suffrage and the ballot in Great Britain. It collaborated with the more moderate and middle class Reform Union and gave strong support to the abortive Reform Bill of 1866 and the… … Wikipedia
International Workingmen's Association — The International Workingmen s Association (IWA), sometimes called the First International, was an international socialist organization which aimed at uniting a variety of different left wing political groups and trade union organizations that… … Wikipedia
John Bedford Leno — (1826 94) was a Chartist, Radical, Poet and printer who acted as a bridge between Chartism and early Labour movements, as well as between the working and ruling classes. He campaigned to give the vote to all common men and women, driven by a… … Wikipedia
United States — a republic in the N Western Hemisphere comprising 48 conterminous states, the District of Columbia, and Alaska in North America, and Hawaii in the N Pacific. 267,954,767; conterminous United States, 3,022,387 sq. mi. (7,827,982 sq. km); with… … Universalium
India — /in dee euh/, n. 1. Hindi, Bharat. a republic in S Asia: a union comprising 25 states and 7 union territories; formerly a British colony; gained independence Aug. 15, 1947; became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations Jan. 26, 1950.… … Universalium
Spain — /spayn/, n. a kingdom in SW Europe. Including the Balearic and Canary islands, 39,244,195; 194,988 sq. mi. (505,019 sq. km). Cap.: Madrid. Spanish, España. * * * Spain Introduction Spain Background: Spain s powerful world empire of the 16th and… … Universalium
Iran — /i ran , i rahn , uy ran /, n. a republic in SW Asia. 67,540,002; ab. 635,000 sq. mi. (1,644,650 sq. km). Cap.: Teheran. Formerly (until 1935), Persia. * * * Iran Introduction Iran Background: Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic… … Universalium
Western architecture — Introduction history of Western architecture from prehistoric Mediterranean cultures to the present. The history of Western architecture is marked by a series of new solutions to structural problems. During the period from the… … Universalium
Italy — • In ancient times Italy had several other names: it was called Saturnia, in honour of Saturn; Enotria, wine producing land; Ausonia, land of the Ausonians; Hesperia, land to the west (of Greece); Tyrrhenia, etc. The name Italy, which seems to… … Catholic encyclopedia
