The Liberal State

English Politics and the Right to Revolution

Any single man must judge for himself whether circumstances warrant obedience or resistance to the commands of the civil magistrate; we are all qualified, entitled, and morally obliged to evaluate the conduct of our rulers.

- John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 1689

Paradox…

Absolute rulers and rationalism helped early modern societies to negotiate fundamental social and economic change…

…but that same rationalism would be the source of Absolutism’s strongest critics.

I. Enlightened Despots

A well conducted government must have an underlying concept so well integrated that it could be likened to a system of philosophy…All financial, political and military matters must flow towards one goal…the strengthening of the state and the furthering of its power.

- Frederick II “The Great” d. 1786

A. Science and the state

1. R & D - Académie des Sciences 1666 - Royal Academy 1660

Christopher Wren. d. 1723

B. The Sun King Louis XIV

1. “I am the state”dismissed assembliesdirect rule / appointmentsprofessional armyGallicanism

Edict of Fontainebleau 1685Jansenism

2. “I have loved war too much”

Natural borders

AlliancesHabsburgsWar of the League of AugsburgWar of Spanish Succession

C. Czar of all the Russias

1. Peter I “The Great” 1689-1725- Westernization- Eastern expansion- state service- serfdom

Romanovs

2. Catherine “the Great” r. 1762-1796- un-Enlightenment 1773- Wild, wild East

D. Germany stirs

1. HRE?Westphalia 1648

Siege of Vienna 1683

Leopold I r. 1657-1705

2. Austrian Habsburg Dynasty

Maria TeresaJoseph II 1780-1790

3. Hohenzollerns(Prussia)

- militarism / state service- Frederick the Great

1712-1786

II. The Rights (and Wrongs) of Englishmen

For the king, turning to the gentleman that touched the axe said "Hurt not the axe that may hurt me.“

- Bulstrode Whitelock

A. Constitutionalism (sort of)

1. Norman Conquest 1066

2. Magna Carta 1215

B. Tudor Family Values

1. There’s something about Mary

Henry VIII “Bloody Mary” Elizabeth I r. 1553-58 r. 1558-1603

C. The Ghost of John Calvin

1. Roundheads- anti-hierarchical

- “middle” class

D. Stuart Kings

1. James I 1603-1625

“Divine Right” / Absolutism

King James Bible (1611)

III. English Revolutions, 1640 - 1689

A. Royal Authoritarian

1. Charles I 1625-49

2. Short Parliament 1640

B. English Civil War 1642-1651

1. Culture Wars King v. Parliament Anglican (Catholic) v. Puritan Old v. New “Money”

Oliver Cromwell

2. Execution of Charles I 1649

Liberty at risk

D. Commonwealth (1649-60)

& Restoration (1660-89)

1. Theocracy

2. Charles II

IV. Modern Liberalism

Limited Government

Natural Law

Personal Liberty

Positive Humanism

A. The Glorious Revolution

1. James II 1685

2. Dual Monarchy 1688

- William & Mary

3. Checks & Balances

Rise of Parliament

Toleration Act 1688

Declaration of Rights 1689

B. Justification

1. Remembering Hobbes

John Locke

Two Treatises of Government 1689

- natural rights

An Essay Concerning Human Understanding 1690

- tabula rasa