Cobbett, William

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Cobbett, William (1763–1835) English journalist and political reformer. He fought for the British in the American Revolution, and his criticism of the fledgling democracy in the United States forced his return to England. In 1802, Cobbett founded the weekly newspaper Political Register. He was an outspoken critic of abuses of political power and was imprisoned (1810–12) for his attack on flogging in the army and forced into exile (1817–19) in the USA. On his return, Cobbett toured England in the campaign for parliamentary reform. His masterpiece, Rural Rides (1830), describes the conditions of rural workers. He was elected to Parliament in 1832.

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