The Glorious Revolution, Summary: From Revolts to Parliamentary Monarchy. Battles and Protagonists, Causes and Consequences.
In 1660 Charles II resumed an absolutist style of government, and a pro-Catholic attitude, an orientation towards which he was also pushed by the diplomatic agreement with Louis XIV of France .In 1672 Charles II issued the Declaration of Indulgence, recognizing the right of Catholics to hold public office.
In 1673 Parliament responded with the Test Act , a law excluding Catholics from all civil and military offices and with a second Test Act in 1678 prohibiting Catholics from entering Parliament.Tensions between the sovereign and Parliament are also fueled by the possibility of succession to the throne of James II Stuart, brother of Charles II , who even converted to Catholicism. Protestant parliamentarians, called Whigs, declare themselves against the succession, while the so-called Tories are in favor of the succession.
The attempt fails because William of Orange also lands on the island and in 1690 defeats the Irish army of James Stuart on the River Boyne . James flees again to France and the Irish revolt is put down. The power of the new king had already been established in 1689 when the English Parliament, offering the crown to William of Orange, had him sign the Bill of Rights.
The Birth of Great Britain
After the Glorious Revolution, the Parliament, although it retains rituals and norms, presents itself as the virtual representative of all the people. This claim to global representation puts the Parliament in a position to dialogue with the sovereign from a notable position of strength, even if the king still retains several prerogatives (foreign policy, army leadership, appointment of ministers).
Since William of Orange had no children, in 1701 Parliament passed a law ( Act of Settlement ) that prevented a Catholic from succeeding to the throne (to avoid the succession of James II’s son) and therefore on the death of William III it was Anne Stuart who became Queen of England. During her reign Parliament passed the Acts of Union which established the union of England, Wales and Scotland in a single Parliament based in London. In 1714 with the death of Queen Anne the Stuart era ended. A German, George I of Hanover , became King of Great Britain .
A parliamentary monarchy
George I is a German who knows few words of English so much so that he prefers to communicate in Latin with his ministers. The new king chooses to lean on the Whigs and to collaborate with their leader Robert Walpole. In this phase the government tends to become an institution autonomous from the king and although the ministers are appointed by the king, the practice is established according to which the government also needs the support of the parliamentary majority . The figure of the prime minister also takes shape , who coordinates the action of the ministers and acts as a link between the government and the king.
The elections for the chambers take place (after 1716) every seven years and are governed by a complex set of rules even if they configure a very small electorate (1-2% of the population) composed only of very rich men . There is not much competition since it often happens that there is only one candidate for example the richest in the area. The electoral campaign opens with the presentation of the candidates who parade in the electoral college. Then there is the formal request for the vote where in a public rally the crowd can interact with him.
Then the candidate offers a private banquet to the main voters who support him. Then there is the official nomination of the candidates and the actual voting . The voting is open and takes place on a raised stage. Often, bribery is used to convince the voters . Once the voting is concluded, the winner is announced, culminating in the inauguration (parade).
The ritual of the Election Campaign is described with great accuracy and sarcasm by the painter William Hogarth . His images show that elections actively involve large masses of people, including those who do not have the right to vote, who nevertheless feel part of the political system as a whole.
Voting establishes a solid legal obligation to obey because it transforms the subjects who choose their representatives into individuals subject to laws; that is, it makes them individuals who are subjected to the laws voted in Parliament by their representatives. This mechanism invented in Great Britain is one of the most powerful and effective dynamics of collective discipline.
