The Origins of the English Civil War (Problems in Focus)

This volume in the 'Problems in Focus' series provides a concise summary of arguments about the causes of the English Civil War, and of the present state of historical research in this field. The nine contributors, experts in the subject they write on, cover such issues as: whether there was any economic clash between the two sides in the Civil War; whether they represented two conflicting cultures; whether the issues involved were European or purely English; whether there is any connection between Puritanism and revolution; and what was involved in the fear of Popery. In many areas this integrated collection of original studies breaks new ground, and brings the student up to date with current research, much of it published here for the first time. It concentrates on central themes of debate for which clarification is most useful to students. Though primarily intended for historians, its treatment of social and cultural factors makes it useful to interdisciplinary studies and to students of literature and society in the seventeenth century. This volume in the 'Problems in Focus' series provides a concise summary of arguments about the causes of the English Civil War, and of the present state of historical research in this field. The nine contributors, experts in the subjects they write on, cover such issues as: whethere there was any economic clash between the two sides in the Civil War; whether they represented two conflicting cultures; whether the issues involved were European or purely English; whether there is any connection between Puritanism adnn revolution; and what was involved in the fear of popery. In many areas this integrated collection of original studies breaks new ground, and brings the student up to date with current research, much of it published here for the first time. It concentrates on central themes of debate for which clarification is most useful to students. Though primarily intended for historians, its treatment of social and cultural factors makes it useful to interdisciplinary studies and to students of literature and society in the seventeenth century Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction....Pages 1-31 Front Matter....Pages 33-33 The Government: Its Role and Its Aims....Pages 35-65 County Government in Caroline England 1625–1640....Pages 66-90 Parliament and the King’s Finances....Pages 91-116 Front Matter....Pages 117-117 Puritanism, Arminianism and Counter-Revolution....Pages 119-143 Fear of Popery....Pages 144-167 Two Cultures? Court and Country under Charles I....Pages 168-193 Front Matter....Pages 195-195 Economic Issues and Ideologies....Pages 197-218 Politics and Political Thought 1640–1642....Pages 219-245 England and Europe: A Common Malady?....Pages 246-257 Back Matter....Pages 258-286