The Agreements of the People and the levellers: the fight for a new political model in the middle of the XVIIth century England

Authors

  • Ricardo Cueva Fernández Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17811/hc.v0i9.150

Keywords:

Constitution, democracy, fundamental rights, England, levellers, revolution.

Abstract

Traditionally, research has indicated that the Glorious Revolution of 1688 was the only contribution to English constitutionalism, which differed from “popular sovereignty” modern democracies stood for later on. However, “the people” had already appeared as the main subject of power in the English Revolution that took place between 1642-1649, and the contractual theory as well as the idea of pre-existent rights attached to every English “freeman” were also manifest. A social coalition led by the Levellers and their defense of the Agreements of the People would support such political model after a parliamentarian struggle against the King where they became aware of the fact that not just the King but the Parliament itself could use the power arbitrarily. With those Agreements protection was pursued by means of a written document, a “paramount law”, where the democratic and institutional framework and the rights and fundamental liberties for the English embedded in it, would be attained.

Submission date: 12/08/2007
Acceptance date: 19/12/2008

Author Biography

Ricardo Cueva Fernández, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Es abogado colegiado en Madrid desde julio de 1996, con especial dedicación a los campos del asilo y la extranjería. Imparte clases en diversos centros de estudios y universidades, tanto públicas como privadas. Tras haber obtenido el Diploma de Estudios Avanzados, se encuentra actualmente elaborando su tesis doctoral en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

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Issue

No. 9 (2008): Historia Constitucional N. 9 (2008)

Section

Europe and United States of America

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