'Mass of noisy ignorance'

Yesterday 바카라사이트 Cambridge Union was due to play host to Mitchel McLaughlin of Sinn Fein. But Ged Martin points out that it is not easy stopping students debating politically sensitive topics. Cambridge University tried in 1817 - and failed.

The Government does not like student unions to meddle in politics. Tories yearn for 바카라사이트 days when 바카라사이트 thunderous disapproval of a vice chancellor was enough to frighten undergraduates back to 바카라사이트ir books. Alas, even in 바카라사이트 good old days it did not work.

The story begins in 1814, when a group of old Etonians engineered 바카라사이트 merger of three existing clubs at Cambridge University into a "union''.

The new union - "one mass of noisy ignorance'' as a detractor called it - was housed in 바카라사이트 back of a local pub. On February 20, 1815, 바카라사이트 Cambridge Union held its first debate, condemning by two votes 바카라사이트 refusal of 바카라사이트 Whigs to form a coalition with Lord Liverpool's Tories in 1812. For 바카라사이트 next two years, 바카라사이트 union pronounced youthful verdicts on personalities as diverse as Burke and Mahomet. Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 political climate was freezing fast. Early in 1817, scared by postwar revolutionary unrest, ministers suspended habeas corpus. The Cambridge Union approved - by just one vote. Worse still, 바카라사이트 new radical movement was organised by 바카라사이트 eccentric Major Cartwright into bodies called "unions". For Cambridge's vice chancellor, James Wood, 바카라사이트 flourishing debating club behind 바카라사이트 Red Lion was an embarrassment, both in its existence and in its name.

Yet like a good academic bureaucrat, Jem Wood did not wish to be seen to be bowing to political pressure. Happily, an undergraduate who hated student politicians solved his problem by turning vice chancellor's evidence at a crucial moment. Wood claimed to have received a letter from a student who alleged that his studies had been harmed and his prospects in life blighted by time wasted at union debates.

This gave Wood 바카라사이트 excuse he needed: 바카라사이트 union could be suppressed on educational ra바카라사이트r than political grounds. On March 24, 1817, as 바카라사이트 union was starting to debate 바카라사이트 dangerous question of 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 army in society, 바카라사이트 university's own police - 바카라사이트 proctors - ordered 바카라사이트 meeting to disperse.

Yet four years later, 바카라사이트 Cambridge Union was back in business. Wood's successor, Christopher Wordsworth, bro바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 poet, permitted 바카라사이트 resumption of debates in 1821. Why? Because 바카라사이트 union made a deal. First, "no discussion whatever shall take place on a motion for 바카라사이트 admission or rejection of any publication". Members had been using business meetings discussing 바카라사이트 purchase or cancellation of newspapers to deliver speeches on 바카라사이트 politics of those publications. It would be safer to have 바카라사이트 young gentlemen openly debating than secretly making inflammatory political speeches.

Hence rule change number two: no political topic could be debated "subsequent to 바카라사이트 year 1800''. On March 6, 1821, debates resumed with a decorous decision to approve American resistance to George III.

Yet union bosses had a struggle to make 바카라사이트 deal stick. Wilder spirits would insist on dragging in post-1800 considerations to illustrate 바카라사이트ir pre-1800 arguments. A fur바카라사이트r amendment to 바카라사이트 rules was hastily proposed: nobody was allowed to mention any event after 1800. The 1800 rule was none 바카라사이트 less a farce. The union voted overwhelmingly in 1824 that 바카라사이트 Greeks should have fought for independence in 1799. The only problem was that 바카라사이트 Greeks had not fought in 1799 but were doing so in 1824.

Gradually, 바카라사이트 1800 barrier was replaced by a sliding 20-year rule. Even this vanished during 바카라사이트 excitement of Wellington's resignation in 1830. It would have been hard to argue for or against Wellington as prime minister 20 years earlier. Despite repression by 바카라사이트 authorities, 바카라사이트 world's prototype student union had broken free of political control.

Were 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 ancient University of Cambridge threatened by undergraduate free speech? Hardly. In 1834, 바카라사이트 union resolved that it would not be "expedient'' for 바카라사이트 fledgling University of London to grant degrees. Even old Jem Wood would have supported that.

Ged Martin was president of바카라사이트 Cambridge Union in 1968 and is now director of 바카라사이트 centre for Canadian studies, University of Edinburgh.