Essay On Popular Protest

725 Words2 Pages

Assess the significance of popular protest in challenging authority and its success in bringing about change in the years 1880-1992. Popular protests have taken place throughout history and all over the world. In Britain, during 1880-1992, many protests took place and challenged authority in order to bring about change. The significance of these protests is highlighted by the need for unionism and working class involvement and representation in politics, which is shown by the events and outcome of the Match Girls and London Dock Strikes (1888, 1889) and the reaction to the Taff Vale Judgement (1901). This was also shown by the change to authority in the period: from individual companies, such as Bryant and May (1888), to governments (1945 …show more content…

The 1888 Match Girls Strike is arguably one of the most important popular protests in British history. The strike was protesting against unfair working conditions in Bryant and May’s London factory. Employees had contracted Phossy Jaw from the matches, and the unfair fines system left many underpaid and, as Annie Besant described them: “white wage slaves”. The significance of the strike is shown by the implications it had on unionism, as it arguably kickstarted the modern trade union movement. The Match Girls founded their own union after the strike, the ‘Matchmakers Union,’ which, although disbanding in 1903, set out the foundation for trade unionism, which is still used today, and had a large impact on industrial workers at the time. Louise Raw argues that the London Dock Strike of 1889 was heavily influenced by the Match Girls. Reading the Dockers’ speeches, she recalled, showed that leaders used the example of the women to “spur the men on… ‘don’t give up, remember the Match Girls.’” In addition, it can be argued that the Match Girls inspired the Dockers as many of the men were related to the women and children who worked for Bryant and May. The Match Girls also set up a template for industrial action, which, if used today, leads to successful strikes and protests. The

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