In 1381, a large army of people marched through southeastern England towards London, demanding an end to unjust taxation and threatening the rule of the young king, Richard II. In the eighteenth century, food riots, protests against land enclosures, and riots against religious groups and foreigners occurred regularly. In the following century, mass gatherings were organized to demand reform of the electoral system, which allowed only a small proportion of the population to vote. In the early 20th century, suffragettes chained themselves to railings, participated in massive demonstrations, and endured prison sentences to gain the right to vote for women. In recent decades, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of London and other cities to protest against the war in Iraq and, in the past year, the war in Gaza. The only power that otherwise powerless people have is their numbers. "Riots and Rebels" is an examination of how they have exercised this power through the centuries and how governments have reacted to it. From the so-called Peasants' Revolt to Just Stop Oil, through the Gordon Riots of 1780, the Luddites destroying machines that threatened their livelihoods, the infamous Peterloo Massacre of 1819, the Chartist protests of the 1830s and 1840s, Bloody Sunday in 1887, and many other often violent events, Nick Rennison provides a concise, shocking account of popular protest in Britain. Pages: 210, Year of Publication: 0805, Dimensions: 13.5x13.5cm