The English bourgeois revolution

The English bourgeois revolution, the causes of which were formed even under Elizabeth, 1 divides history into four stages. The first was the constitutional stage. He was followed by civil war. Then came the struggle for democratic content and another civil war. The English bourgeois revolution of the 17th century ended with the formation of an independent republic.

As already mentioned, between the Parliament and the Crown, the struggle was unleashed even under Elizabeth. During the reign of Charles 1, this confrontation led to the dissolution of the parliament. After this, the English bourgeois revolution, which was also called the "Great Mutiny," began.

As an ideological weapon, the opposition was a large religious and political public association - Puritanism. The Puritan movement was distinguished by its diversity of views and complexity in the socio-political structure. This led to the fact that within the association to the beginning of the confrontation formed three major trends.

Presbyterians belonged to the first. This current included the landed aristocracy and the bourgeoisie. They demanded the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.

The second course was made up by the independents. Among them were representatives of the petty and middle nobility, the middle strata of the urban bourgeoisie. They advocated a limited constitutional monarchy with the proclamation and recognition of the inalienable freedoms of all subjects.

From the course of the Independents, the Levellers were distinguished, supported by peasants and artisans. Levellers defended the idea of nationwide equality, sovereignty, fought for the establishment of the republic.

The English bourgeois revolution developed very rapidly. This acceleration contributed to the defeat of the country in 1639 in the Anglo-Scottish war.

The situation was quite tense. Urban and peasant uprisings, discontent among merchants and financiers, lack of money put the monarch in a desperate situation. As a result, Charles 1 convened a new parliament, which was called Dolgim. From this moment on, the English bourgeois revolution passed to the second, constitutional stage.

The long parliament in its work adopted the Triennial Act (which established the convening of the parliament every three years, regardless of the royal will), a bill that the parliament can not be dissolved without its consent. It was adopted and the Great Repairs, which reflected the interests of the new nobility and the bourgeoisie.

Thus, the adopted acts significantly limited the power of the crown, while contributing to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. The Presbyterians, who were in power in the parliament, feared the development of the revolution.

The king in 1642, at the end of the summer, declared war on the parliament. The English bourgeois revolution developed into the first civil war. In connection with the indecisiveness of the policy of the prosviterians, the parliament was defeated. The military leadership was taken up by the independents.

However, by the summer of 1645 the parliamentary army was reorganized. Civil war (the first) ended with the defeat of the royal troops. Presbyterian parliament considered the revolution complete, it was satisfied with the formed position and political system in the country on the principle of a constitutional monarchy.

However, the other two currents (the Levellers and the independents) aspired to more decisive transformations. In 1648, the second civil war broke out between the Independents and the Presbyterian Parliament. As a result of the struggle, the former took London, excluding the Presbyterian majority from the Long Parliament.

After the royal execution in 1649, England became a republic. Since that moment, the supreme power was in the hands of a unicameral parliament.

The leaders of the independents, headed by Cromwell, established a military dictatorship. The leaders of the Levellers who supported them were imprisoned.

The dictatorial regime fell after the death of Cromwell. In 1659 the country was formally established in the country. As a result of the coup in 1688-89, a compromise was established between the landed aristocracy and the bourgeoisie.