Emergence of Radical Groups

What was the reason for the emergence of radical sects?

• Mostly due to fact that there was freedom of press after 1641
• Star Chamber abolished in 1641
• pamphlets were produce= SIGNIFICANT
• Pamphlet= quick to write & print AND very easy to distribute
• Pamphlets could be read out to people and therefore there was a bigger audience.

• Levellers= people who wanted LIBERTY
• Wanted to get rid of House of Commons
• Dow identifies 3 reasons why Levellers joined:
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    •  people's grievance- whether long or short term
    • intellectual heritage of leaders- ideas of Calvinist Puritanism and the ideas of natural law & traditions of English law
    • personal experiences of Leveller leaders- eg. 'Free-born' John Lilburne             

• Army leaders as unsympathetic to Leveller agruments as MPs
• Leveller's best allies= Army Agitators
• In summer of 1647 were chosen by soldiers
• Important links were made between L. & Ag.
• They attacked army officers and called for political & social reform
• In 6 months, Levellers went from margins of politics to centre.

• Earliest group to emerge
• Led by GERRARD WINSTANLEY- he believed freedom and social equality can from common ownership of propert. Denounced private property.
• DIFFERNT FROM LEVELLERS becaue:
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    • Levellers wanted liberation not equality
    • DIggers wanted social & economical equality
    • More religiously driven that Levellers- Levellers acted on experience and grievances 

• Different ideas going around- they were changing & shifting
• More printing presses
• A vacuum- structural/ hierarchical vacuum
• Opportunity- God had created a possibility for them to act
• People were changing ideas
• More ordinary people became involved in politics