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Who
were the Chartists?
There is no simple answer to the question of who constituted the
movement's rank and file. As they left no official membership lists,
historians can only speculate about the total number of Chartist
supporters. This difficult question is therefore best approached
from two different, but ultimately complimentary angles:
- An occupational analysis of the groups supporting Chartism
- A geographical analysis of the distribution of Chartist
support
In both cases, the conclusions drawn by historians on the issue of
Chartist support have tended to be provisional. It is also important
to note that neither approach necessarily takes account of the issue
of gender. Recent work by historians such as Dorothy
Thompson and John
Belcham suggest that women played a more prominent role in Chartist
activity than previously thought.
Nor do either of these approaches capture the potential for what
has been described as informal or fluid membership of the movement
through irregular or casual participation in meetings.
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