 Varieties of Knowledge Chartism were displayed in the 1840s by Joseph Barker (the "Barker Library"), Samuel Smiles (self-help), and John Epps (opposition to medical jargon).The campaign against "taxes on knowledge" made further progress in the 1850s, after more fundamental Chartist political agitation dropped back.The People's Charter Union of 1848 was set up primarily to oppose O'Connor.