the rump parliament as an experiment in radical republicanism

need for the creation of the “council of state”

• constitutional melee feb 1649 + vacuum caused by loss of executive powers to the king

the “council of the state” features

• made up on 41 councillors

• elected by the rump (peers, commons mps + magistrates)

• john bradshaw = president of the council

• elections to rump annually

the “council of the state” failures

• attendance at the council was poor

• rarely more than 15 members

• sometimes fell below the lower limit of 9

use of the phrase “republic”

• members of council swear oath of allegiance

  • only time “republic” used to describe english constitutional arragement

• commonwealth used instead

why “commonwealth”

• establish term in england

• loose meaning (extended as far as being any country or state, irrespective of its consitutional structure)

• connected to christian virtues

• until 1649 used interchangeably for “kigdom” and “realm” - rump dropped monarchical synonyms

• everything else is the same

existing conservatism within the rump

• rump mps had the opportunity to elevate themselves to a new, higher status

  • but promotes parliament as preserver of ancient liberty and custom

• rejection of leveller ideology + reliance on precedent and tradition = conservatism not republican zeal

radical republicans

• henry marten - pressed for regicide

• small group has an influence on proceedings + works toward stable republican settlement

• desire = radical as it is different to centuries of monarchical precedents