A Nation of Petitioners: Petitions and Petitioning in the United Kingdom, 1780-1918

A Nation of Petitioners is the first study to explore the nineteenth-century heyday of petitioning in the UK, demonstrating how ordinary men and women engaged with politics in an era of democratization. It shows that petitions were central to mass campaigning, representation, collective action, and forging collective identities, challenging accounts that have stressed disciplinary or exclusionary processes.

Format: Hardback
Length: 310 pages
Publication date: 09 February 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Between 1780 and 1918, a staggering one million petitions were submitted to the House of Commons across the four nations. A Nation of Petitioners, the first comprehensive study of this era of petitioning in the United Kingdom during the nineteenth century, delves into how ordinary men and women actively engaged with politics in a period of democratization, yet lacking true democracy. This book seeks to reclaim the voices and actions of these petitioners, shedding light on their significant role in shaping UK political culture. By drawing upon over a million petitions, as well as extensive archives from prominent politicians, institutions, and pressure groups, Henry J. Miller meticulously demonstrates the centrality of petitions and petitioning in the realm of mass campaigning, representation, collective action, and the formation of collective identities at both local and national levels.

The early nineteenth century witnessed a remarkable surge in petitioning, which played a pivotal role in shaping and bolstering the popular authority of the UK state. This includes Parliament, the monarchy, and the government. A Nation of Petitioners challenges prevailing accounts that emphasize disciplinary or exclusionary processes in the evolution of popular politics. It conclusively establishes the paramount importance of the widespread participation of ordinary people through petitions.

This study offers a fresh perspective on the nineteenth-century heyday of petitioning in the United Kingdom, shedding light on the ways in which ordinary individuals exercised their political power and influenced the course of history. It underscores the significance of grassroots activism and the power of collective voices in shaping public policy and societal change. A Nation of Petitioners is a valuable contribution to the field of political history, providing a rich and detailed account of the role of petitions in shaping the political landscape of the UK during this transformative period.

ISBN-13: 9781316511701