English Revolutions: 17th & 18th Century Political Shift

Context: 17th and 18th Century England

The political and social events that occurred in England during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries culminated in the union of Scotland, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain, a great economic and political power. Differing from the rest of Europe, while the continent endured rebellions and absolute monarchies, England experienced two revolutionary processes that ultimately prevailed:

The First English Revolution

During the reign of Charles I, a confrontation arose between Parliament and the absolute monarchs over control of the powers of the State. In 1625, Charles I ascended the throne, leading to economic conflicts due to increased taxes, political clashes between the King and Parliament, and religious tensions surrounding Anglicanism. John Locke, born in 1632, would later influence the Glorious Revolution and the British Bill of Rights of 1689. He documented his intellectual life in two seminal works: Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690) and Thoughts on Education (1692). Oates died on October 28, 1704.

Confrontations with Parliament led the King to dissolve it repeatedly until 1642, when he had to convene it to approve new taxes. This sparked a civil war that ended with the defeat of the King, his execution, and the proclamation of a Republic in 1649. Oliver Cromwell established a dictatorship. The future Charles II was exiled in France, where Hobbes was his tutor. After Cromwell's death and the failure to maintain the Republic, the Restoration occurred in 1660, with Charles II first and then James II ruling.

The Second English Revolution: The Glorious Revolution

Locke advised the Earl of Shaftesbury to prevent the Catholic James II from ascending to the crown. Accused of high treason, Shaftesbury fled to Holland. Locke also went into exile in Holland, where he met William of Orange. Because James II attempted to restore Catholicism, he was forced into exile. This confrontation resulted in 1688 in a new civil war: the Glorious Revolution, which culminated with the offer of the crown to the Dutch William of Orange on the condition of accepting the limitation of their power in the "Bill of Rights." Parliament recognized the right to participate in government. Thus, William III became the first modern parliamentary monarch. In 1690, with the new monarchy consolidated, Locke returned to England and published "Two Treatises on Civil Government."

Economic and Literary Context

• Economically, mercantilism, a system based on state intervention and protectionism, was consolidated.
• Trade with the colonies expanded.
• The literary output was marked by the political context.

Notably, John Milton contributed significantly to this era.