The Roots of Radicalism in England

Nicholas McDowell

The English Radical Imagination Culture, Religion and Revolution (1630–1660)

Clarendon Press, Oxford University Press

Oxford English Monographs, 2003

220 pages, 57,15 €, ISBN 0–19–926251–6

Jacques Coulardeau

Université Paris Dauphine

This book is a revealing and thrilling monograph on the English Revolution. It scrutinizes the period (1630–1660) from a completely new point of view and opens a completely regenerated perspective. Before entering the book, it is necessary to express one regret: the numerous books studied in this monograph are listed with their initial publishing dates but not with present references. But this is detail after all, and we can rather easily find this information.

Nicholas McDowell starts with the commonplace stereotype about this period of English history. This stereotype comes from Thomas Edwards who fought at the time against the multiplication of religious approaches during the revolution with one essential argument: the presbyterian church and the religious establishment are supported by literate…