Political Radicalism - Dissolution of Rump + Nominated Assembly Flashcards
Who were the Levellers
Wanted a property-based franchise which gave the vote to all households who contributed to poor relief.
Feared the RUmp was aiming to become as equally as tyrannical as the King
What opposition did the Leveller’s do to Rump?
‘England’s New Cjain’s Discovered’ (1649 Feb) - Lilburne accused the Army Grandees of returning England to slavery and having betrayed the cause of the war.
Lilburn appealed tot he army, Londoners and others to reject the rule of the ‘new oppressor’. No change from king to parliament - a “mere change of persons”
The execution of Leveller leaders lead to a procession through London wearing red ribbons for leveler support
What was the RUmp’s response to the Levveller resistance?
Lilburn and other leading levellers arrested - charged with treason
Two leveller mutinies were crushed by Cromwell in May 1649n - leaders executed
Rump handed out arrears to soldiers which largely pacified the grass-roots group of Leveller support within army
Movement effectively over
Who were the Diggers
Off-shoot of the Levellers (‘True levellers’)
Took the Leveller idea of equality and merged it with religious radicalism
April 1649 - community of True levellers founded in Surrey at St George’s Hill. Plots of common land “Work together. Eat bread Together”.
Give examples of DIgger failure
The community at St Georges Hill shut within 6 months
Although Digger communities were established elsewhere, also quickly dispersed
Winstanley’s pamphlets ‘Law and Freedom’ -challenged Cromwell to bring about genuine reform. However, political influence minimal, and movement fleeted
Why did the Levellers fail
Their approach for property caused anxiety among local landowners
Easy to attack them as disorderly as they went against social conventions
Who were the Quakers
Started by George Fox
God spoke to every believer through an individual light
No need for designated ministers for the ceremony
Military service was wrong - only God had the right to end life (Rump’s survival propped up by military support)
What happened to George Fox
One of the first radicals to be tried under the new Blashmpey Act - 6 months imprisonment in 1650
- Deep contradiction of the Liberty of conscious
Give some successes of the Quaker movement
The movement grew rapidly - targeted wide audiences
Utilised the press to produce large numbers of pamphlets
By 1660, there were over 20,000 Quakers in England
With regards to the Rump, give a fundamental reason why the Levellers and Diggers failed at creating. godly society
Majority of the Rump Parliament were members of the gentry and therefore naturally conservative
What was the Toleration Act of 1650
Removed the requirement for people to attend church as long as they took part in regular religious service each week
How dod the Rump utilise the media
Censorship of printed material introduced in order to limit radical pamphlets
Goverment newspaper ‘Mercisus Politicus’ was launched in order to defend Rump’s actions
Give 4 actions passed by the Rump that contradicted Cromwell’s liberty of conscious
Nothing was done to remove church tithes, and in April 1652, the Rump declared that the collection would continue - members of radical groups were therefore expected to pay towards the upkeep of the church they would never attend
Blasphemy Act 1650 - aimed at restricting radical religious sects, who could be subject to severe penalties
Levellers + Diggers effectively repressed
Act for the Propagation of the Gospel in Northern England and Wales was passed - Controlled the appointment of the clergy so that only approved ministers were allowed to preach
What was the Navigation Act 1651
Boosted national morale.
Even though it led to war with the Dutch Republic over commercial rivalry and fishing - it was popular because it brought England back onto the continental stage as a major player after a lull fo a decade
Opening stages of Anglo-Dutch war very much in England’s favour
Give 4 reasons why the Rump was successful
Navigation Act
Rump managed to maintain stability and order, even in the face of economic distress, religious radicalism, threat of invasion from Ireland, and actual invasion from Scotland
Careful handling of local circumstances prevented serious opposition from the localities. Royalists typically treated gently with minimal purges from office
Managed to raise enough money to finance the army
Give 4 weaknesses of the Rump
The need to maintain a large standing army there were high taxes. Without reliable support from the nation, the army could not be dispensed, but as long as the army existed - the reliable support would not be forthcoming
Attendance of the RUmp was always low with only 70 active MP’s of 210
Rate of reform slowed. In 1649, 125 Acts were passed, reducing to just 51 by 1652
As time passed, Rump appeared more selfish and corrupt. Failed to dissolve itself despite promises to do so