Charles Dickens, MP.

Alberto Knox · Dec 16, 2009

In 1841, Dickens (already something of a celebrity) was invited to stand for Parliament in the general election that year. He flatly refused but one can't help but wonder...

The POD I'm going with is Dickens' wife dying in childbirth in Feb 1841 and the resulting son dying soon after. Distraught, Dickens throws himself into politics. He stands for and is elected to Parliament.

Some questions:

What constituency could he stand for?

What political affiliation would he have (Whig? Radical? Independent?)

How successful could his political career be?

Alberto Knox · Dec 17, 2009

Any thoughts?

Workable Goblin · Dec 17, 2009

This sounds like an interesting TL, but sorry, I'm not familiar enough with either Dickens or the mid-19th-century British political scene to help. If you *do* find someone and start a TL, rest assured that I will follow.

pipisme · Dec 18, 2009

If Dickens stands for election in the general election of June to July 1841 it would likely be as a Radical or an Independent. It could be in the south London constituency of Southwark which elected Radical MPs in the 1830s and 1840s.

robcraufurd · Dec 18, 2009

I believe that Dickens was struggling for money around this point: flagrant copyright violation takes away a lot of his potential profits, and he ultimately gambles and loses on taking a percentage of the profits rather than a lump sum for A Christmas Carol (1843). Given that MPs aren't paid in this period, he may end up spending all his time writing and hardly any in the chamber unless you can come up with some independent source of funds. Perhaps he could combine the two in a newspaper column- "Parliamentary Sketches by Boz"? I know that the doorman William White had a column in the 1850s, but I'm not sure how a serving MP reporting on the foibles of the House might be received.

Alberto Knox · Dec 18, 2009

robcraufurd said:
I believe that Dickens was struggling for money around this point: flagrant copyright violation takes away a lot of his potential profits, and he ultimately gambles and loses on taking a percentage of the profits rather than a lump sum for A Christmas Carol (1843). Given that MPs aren't paid in this period, he may end up spending all his time writing and hardly any in the chamber unless you can come up with some independent source of funds. Perhaps he could combine the two in a newspaper column- "Parliamentary Sketches by Boz"? I know that the doorman William White had a column in the 1850s, but I'm not sure how a serving MP reporting on the foibles of the House might be received.

Ah...the great dramas of the 19th century commons. The grand debates, the hypocrisy of corrupt politicians, the great political rivalries and Dickens sitting quietly...taking notes. A most entertaining prospect.

Of course even if he comes up with a convincing pseudonym, people will figure out that Dickens is writing these revealing periodicals. His fellow MPs will either keep clear of him to avoid potential embarassment or keep nearby to get some cheap publicity.

I suspect Dickens will continue his literary career but they will probably have a much great bent towards political satire as well as social. Late in life, having held a few minor cabinet positons and bumped up to the House of Lords, I can very easily imagine Dickens releasing his magnum opus: The Victorian equivalent of 'Yes, Minister'!

Sol Invictus · Dec 18, 2009

You could have him stand almost any year in say a by election. That gives you more flexibility.

Maybe have him elected in 1847 as Parliaments only chartist MP. I don't know if he would be a chartist, but he would certainly be inclined towards something 'radical'.

Alberto Knox · Dec 18, 2009

Sol Invictus said:
You could have him stand almost any year in say a by election. That gives you more flexibility.

Maybe have him elected in 1847 as Parliaments only chartist MP. I don't know if he would be a chartist, but he would certainly be inclined towards something 'radical'.

Honestly...1841 is pretty convenient for me.

As far as I know, though he took a great deal of interest in the working-classes, Dickens never showed any support for the Chartist movement. It seems likely he will be a Radical MP but nothing more extreme than that.