The Reaction of Government to the Challenge of Protest (1812-1822)

Government Responses to Protest Movements

Legislative Measures

The government enacted the Six Acts (1819) to suppress radical societal voices and public unrest, restricting the freedom of the press, curtailing public meetings, and introducing new laws against armed training.
The Frame Breaking Act (1812) and Combination Acts (1799-1800) showcased the government’s efforts to control and suppress protest movements like the Luddites or trade union actions.

Intense Suppression

Notable violent responses to protests included the Peterloo Massacre (1819), where cavalry charged into a crowd of protesters in Manchester, leading to numerous deaths and injuries.
Authorities brutally suppressed the Pentrich Rising (1817) with the leaders being executed while others were transported to Australia, signalling the state’s no-tolerance approach to violent protest.

Security Measures

Establishment of mounted police in industrial centres such as Manchester and Glasgow after 1819 indicated a swift government response to the perceived threats posed by growing popular protest.
The creation of the Home Department in 1782 and its development over the following decades established a national force to counter radical forces and maintain law and order.

Coercive Policy

The state aimed to repress dissent through punitive legislation and enforcement, such as the Sedition Act (1795), which effectively suppressed freedom of speech.
The use of counter-revolutionary spies and agents, such as Oliver the spy, aimed at infiltrating protest groups to disrupt their activities and gather intelligence for prosecutions.

Increased Surveillance

The government increased its surveillance and control of postal communication, as demonstrated during the case of the Cato Street conspirators.
There was an intensification of government efforts to suppress radical print culture leading to the imprisonment of radical publishers such as Richard Carlile.

The government’s response during 1812-1822 to the challenge of protest clearly leaned towards repression and control rather than addressing the root causes of societal unrest. The authorities sought to disrupt and impede the various forms of protest, while largely ignoring the legitimate grievances at their root.