Political Discourse in Early Modern Britain

by Nicholas Phillipson (Editor), Quentin Skinner (Editor)

Overview

This collection of essays, all by preeminent exponents of the history of political thought, explores the political ideologies of early modern Britain. Organized on a broadly chronological basis, the topics addressed by individual scholars reflect in general the themes initiated and inspired by the work of the distinguished intellectual historian, J. G. A. Pocock, for whom the collection is intended as a tribute. Each of the sixteen contributors have thought long and critically about Pocock's seminal contributions to the subject, and in each essay engages with the debates he has provoked. Professor Pocock has responded to the essays and provided his personal interpretation of the themes they invoke.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521392426
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	02/26/1993
Series:	Ideas in Context , #24
Pages:	464
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.29(h) x 1.26(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; Part I: 1. George Buchanan and the Anti-Monarchomachs J. H. Burns; 2. The ancient constitution revisited William Klein; 3. Arminianism: the controversy that never was William Lamont; 4. Scienta civilis in classical rhetoric and in the early Hobbes Quentin Skinner; Part II: 5. Parliamentary sovereignty: a very English absolutism Michael Mendle; 6. The civil religion of Thomas Hobbes Richard Tuck; 7. The rapture of motion: James Harrington's republicanism Jonathan Scott; 8. Casuistry to Newcastle: The Prince in the world of the book Conal Condren; Part III: 9. Between Lambeth and Leviathan: Samuel Parker on the Church of England and political order Gordon J. Schochet; 10. Priestcraft and the birth of Whiggism Mark Goldie; 11. The right to resist: Whig resistance theory in the Revolution of 1688–9 Lois G. Schwoerer; 12. Placing the Two Treatises James Tully; Part IV: 13. Shaftesbury, politeness and the politics of religion Lawrence Klein; 14. Propriety, property and prudence: David Hume and the defence of the revolution Nicholas Phillipson; 15. The rhapsody of public debt: David Hume and the voluntary state bankruptcy Istvan Hont; 16. Universal monarchy and the liberties of Europe: David Hume's critique of an English Whig doctrine John Robertson; Part V: 17. A discourse of sovereignty: observations on the work in progress J. G. A. Pocock; A bibliography of the writings of J. G. A. Pocock; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"...as a contribution to contextual understanding the volume as a whole is an apt and well-deserved tribute to J.G.A. Pocock." Canadian Philosophical Reviews

"This is a festschrift for the indefatigable J.G.A. Pocock. The essays are better than what usually end up stuck in such volumes: better as a simple matter of scholarly quality, but better too as exemplary models of what is distinctive in Pocock's approach." Don Herzog, American Political Science Review

"...a stimulating and learned set of essays that make consistently original contributions to our understanding of aspects of the intellectual history of English politics between the Reformation and the American Revolution. The language of contemporary politics is minutely analyzed and new relationships are discussed." Michael G. Finlayson, Albion

"Those who teach courses that contain a generous helping of English political ideas...will find the essays both challenging and beneficial...the books are essential for any library with good history and political science holdings. Anyone who teaches a graduate seminar on the Tudor or Stuart period can expect that students with strong British history backgrounds will find the essays very though provoking, and the ideas developed should generate considerable discussion." K. Gird Romer, Teaching History

From the Publisher