12. Social divisions 1629 - 49 Flashcards
Why was there an increase in radicalism during civil wars?
Breakdown on social order and authority meant religious and political radicalism could flourish.
Leveller
London Based pressure group seeking political, social and economic reform led by John Lilburne:
-Extension of vote
-Written constitution
-Removal of HoL and monarchies’ power
-Frequent elections
-Redistribution of Seats
-Religious freedom
-Reform of Law
-Economic Reform
Levellers Methods
Petitions:
-Large petition 10-14th march 1647
-Petition in Oct 48 had 40,000 signatures
-Women’s petition in May 49
Processions:
-Leveller Rainsboroughs funeral Nov 48
-Leveller Lockyer’s funeral April 49
Pamphlets:
-Agreement of the people Oct 47
-Englands new chains discovered February 49
-Hunting of the Foxes March 49
-Produced 250 between 45 and 49
Newspapers:
-The moderate July 48-September 49
Levellers influence in the army
-Realised without army support, could not reform
-Exploited fear of low rank officers that they would not get their reforms wanted, letting the levellers denounce Cromwell
-In October 47, Levellers agents appeared in 5 cavalry regiments and circulated a pamphlet “The case of the army truly stated”
-Army held Whitehall and Putney debates to calm the levellers
Putney Debates
Oct-Nov 47 - General Council of the army met with levellers to debate settlement. Debates over right to vote led to heated arguments with Ireton. Led to first agreement of the people. Ended on the 5th of November with Ireton clashing with levellers over settlement.
First agreement of the people
October 47 - Manifesto by levellers who wanted proportional representation, Biennially elected parliaments and removal of HoL.
Significance of Putney
Lower class views being heard shows how far social order undermined. However, the second civil war united the NMA again and reduced leveller influence.
Whitehall debates
Dec 48-Jan 49 - Alongside trial and execution of Charles. Levellers tried to push first agreement of the people to be a new constitution but it was refused, with both sides drawing up their own versions.
-Levellers second agreement differed massively with armies document over religious toleration.
-Levellers denounced rump parliament and led to the Debates failure.
Repression of Levellers
-March 49, Lilburne and other leaders arrested
-Third Agreement of the people attempted to inspire army mutiny but response crushed in may 49
-Failed to regain power due to NMA being paid, reducing divisions
Diggers
Created by Gerrard Winstanley who wanted total social and political equality and called themselves “true levellers”.
Methods of the Diggers
-Established communes outside major communities, major one on St Georges hill outside London
-Pamphlet called “True levellers Standard Advanced” published
-In 52, Winstanley published “The Law of Freedom in a Platform”, another pamphlet calling for free will and freedom from taxes
Influence of the Diggers
-Less influence than Levellers and the commune at St George’s Hill lasted only 1 year, was destroyed by Fairfax
-Laid groundwork for future protests through direct action, establishment of communism, establishment of liberal theocracy, establishment of environmentalism
Repression of the Diggers
-In March 49, the St George’s Hill commune set up, annoying local landholders
-After a year, Fairfax destroyed it
-Hill states that other communes existed but all were destroyed
Fifth Monarchists
-Seen as the formal emergence of millenarianism
-Saw Welsh and London Millenarians link together to strive for reform
-Believed a 5th Kingdom would be established to last forever.
-Disunited at this point, not a huge threat
-Had influence in NMA such as Thomas Harrison
-Believed they had to prepare for the second coming of god
