Description
Book SynopsisThis book situates the development of radical English political thought within the context of the specific nature of agrarian capitalism and the struggles that ensued around the nature of the state during the revolutionary decade of the 1640s. In the context of the emerging conceptions of the state and propertywith attendant notions of accumulation, labor, and the common goodgroups such as Levellers and Diggers developed distinctive forms of radical political thought not because they were progressive, forward thinkers, but because they were the most significant challengers of the newly-constituted forms of political and economic power. Drawing on recent re-examinations of the nature of agrarian capitalism and modernity in the early modern period, Geoff Kennedy argues that any interpretation of the political theory of this period must relate to the changing nature of social property relations and state power. The radical nature of early modern English political thought is therefore cas
Trade ReviewThis work makes an important contribution to the field by extending the work of other scholars in the field into a new area of debate, namely the relationship between agrarian capitalism and radical political thought. -- Colin Mooers, Ryerson University
This impressive study takes on a major challenge. Geoff Kennedy not only offers a clear and persuasive account of political ideas in their historical context, but also engages in methodological debate with other historians of political thought and explores the controversies among scholars of this much contested period in English history. He manages to interweave these different strands with commendable clarity and in accessible prose, suitable to a wide audience from specialists to students and the intelligent general reader. -- Ellen Wood, York University
Table of Contents1 Table of Contents 2 Acknowledgments Chapter 3 1. Radical Political Thought in Early Modern England Chapter 4 2. Historical Materialism and Early Modern Radicalism Chapter 5 3. Agrarian Capitalism and Class Formation Chapter 6 4. The Political Economy of Improvement Chapter 7 5. From the State as Property to Property against the State Chapter 8 6. Unearthing the Kingly Power Chapter 9 7. Between Monarchy and Multitude 10 Bibliography 11 Index 12 About the Author
