The Political Thought of the English Free State, 1649-1653

The Political Thought of the English Free State, 1649–1653, offers a reassessment of the English Revolution and explores the arguments in defence of the English free state, highlighting the importance of individual freedom and the debate over whether it was an aristocracy or democracy.

Format: Hardback
Length: 270 pages
Publication date: 20 October 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

English republicanism has been a central theme in political thought for centuries, yet the years of the English free state are often overlooked. In his book, "The Political Thought of the English Free State, 1649–1653," Markku Peltonen offers a fresh and provocative reassessment of the English Revolution and a unique perspective on English republicanism. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including the vast political pamphlet literature of the era, Peltonen explores the arguments in defense of the English free state and demonstrates the profound importance of the republican period.

The pamphleteers who defended the free state argued that the people or their representatives had the power to alter the form of government whenever it was advantageous. They presented powerful anti-monarchical arguments and widely shared the republican conviction that individual freedom could only materialize in a free state. Peltonen also highlights the unprecedented debate over whether the free state was an aristocracy or democracy and shows how, for the first time in English history, democracy was not only robustly defended but understood as representative.

The book offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of the English Revolution and the development of republicanism. Peltonen's meticulous research and analysis provide a new perspective on this critical period in English history, and his insights will be of interest to scholars and students of politics and history alike.

Weight: 1820g
ISBN-13: 9781009212045