Systematically explores what it is conceived as 'hunger politics': the articulations of hunger as a tool of protest by poor consumers; its framing as a problem in the making of public policy; and its (elite) political languages and the attendant effects. -- .
Protest, poverty and policy in England, c. 1750-c. 1840
The book delves into "hunger politics," examining how hunger is utilized as a form of protest by impoverished consumers. It analyzes the portrayal of hunger within public policy discussions and the political rhetoric employed by elites. Through this exploration, the author highlights the implications of these dynamics on both societal perceptions and policy-making processes related to food insecurity and poverty.
The Swing Riots were the most dramatic and widespread rising of the English rural poor. Protestors destroyed machines, demanding higher wages and better poor relief. Swing represented a genuine challenge to the existing ruling order, provoking a bitter and bloody repression. This is a vivid account of a defining moment in British history. -- .
Rural workers in eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century England were not passive victims in the face of rapid social change. Locating protest in the wider contexts of work, poverty and landscape change, this new text offers the first critical overview of this growing area of study.