Radical War begins in Scotland

Background. Radical demands for reform in the United Kingdom had become prominent in the early years of the French Revolution but were repressed during the long Napoleonic Wars. Artisan workers, particularly weavers in Scotland, sought action to force the government to enact Luddite protective restrictions. The Peterloo Massacre of August 1819 sparked protest demonstrations across Britain, setting the stage for unrest.

Political Context. As 1820 began, the government, frightened by the Cato Street Conspiracy in London, acted to suppress reform agitation. This suppression drew on its apparatus of spies and agents provocateurs in Scotland. The resulting environment contributed to the outbreak of the Radical War, which was characterized as a week of strikes and unrest in Scotland.

Proclamation. The conflict began with a proclamation dated Glasgow April 1st, 1820. This document included references to the English Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights. The proclamation marked the start of the Radical War in Scotland, coinciding with Easter week uprisings all over Great Britain.