1.12- In The Name of God Go

In 1653 Oliver Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament and then Barebone's Parliament dissolved itself. The Commonwealth was not getting off to a great start. 

Direct Link: 1.12- In The Name of God Go

Comments

[Peter Williams]

Mike, I think the you were the only one who didn't realize that you wouldn't be able to keep the Revolution "sections" to 12 episodes. Take as many as you need, we are all enjoying the ride.

[Rubicx]

As a fan of THoR, I looked forward to Revolutions. Although I'm enjoying your new podcast, I don't really understand why you started "Revolutions" with a chapter of English history that hardly resulted in a "revolution." Personally, I think your new podcast should have started with the American Revolution - that's a revolution!

[Joe]

@Rubicx I think the English Revolution is important simply because it took place in that crucial transition from Feudal Monarchy to Nation-state. No one knew what they were doing because they were the first people who did it. And of course a revolution poorly executed doesn't mean its not a revolution, just a bad one.

[Sandy]

The removal of a monarch was completely revolutionary, I think Mike's choice was an inspired one.

Enjoying this enormously.

[Peter Williams]

Guys, Mike is going in chronological order. That is why he started with England.

[Rubicx]

@Joe I don't question its importance, I just don't consider it a revolution by any means. The Spanish and The French were also developing modern Nation-States but those were led by monarchs.

@Sandy If the removal of a monarch was so completely revolutionary why did the monarchy return and still serves to this day? The French ended up getting rid of their monarchy completely; The Russians the same. That was completely revolutionary.

These English Civil Wars were just another power struggle between social classes. Nothing new under the sun.

[Tedk]

@ Rubicx What is your definition of a Revolution? In any case, the English "Revolution" (whether you want to give it that name or not) set an important radical precedent, and influenced the American and French revolutions to a great extent. Even if the monarchy was restored and many of of the ideas going around were rolled back or never enacted in the first place, I think it is very relevant and a good place to start.

BTW France also went back to having a Monarchy, and which revolution could not be argued to be a power struggle between social classes?!

[David]

@ Rubicx

I would dispute this. The American War of Independence isn't a revolution, it's a boardroom takeover, a change of management but nothing more. Nothing radical or revolutionary happened. There were a few of the middling radical thoughts and words taken from the English Revolution or Glorious Revolution, but they were spoken about, use as propaganda but never enacted and nothing more.

The English Revolution was one of the 3 great revolutions in history along with the French and Russian, it turned the world upside down. It was also perhaps the most prolific era of human thought in world history, surpassing even ancient Greece, who has their ideas over five centuries not one.