Debating Into Modern Parliament
While there would be two more civil wars to follow, one of the defining results from the civil wars was the Putney debates within the New Model Army on the decisions on how to run government and the rights and freedoms of the commoner. Key figures would come from the leaders, such as Oliver Cromwell and Henry Ireton who would put forward ideas to bring out better suffrage. However, the debates would put forward the concept of universal vassalage and reaffirming the use of Agreement by Parliament. "Universal Sufferage" by the contemporary standard would include all landowning men, but women would have been excluded, with womens rights taking longer to achieve. The concept of reforms however was clearly on the move towards better rights, at least politically towards the commoner.
Cromwell himself was against the concept of universal suffrage, in a time where there was a need for figure of power to run politics, voting was not simply a birth given right. However, those agitating for reform (aptly named agitators) would win out, arguing in favour that those who cannot participate in government should not be ruled by such.
" and I do think that the poorest man in England is not at all bound in a strict sense to that Government that he hath not had a voice to put Himself under."
This pushed forward new thinking, both in Parliament, but also outside of it Thomas Hobbes, and later John Locke would discuss the nature of these events. The wars would bring into question the roles of Kingship, and who should be in charge. This would lead to much contemporary argument, and at times even comes up today.
While the New Model Army would eventually force the government into something almost resembling a military dictatorship, these initial moves had sustaining impact. The result would leave the Kingdom under much better laws for the commoner, but also its later colonies and dominions. Canada would improve upon the model for future generations with the inclusion of women, and those not relating to the specific faith shared by government.
While the subsequent years of Cromwells reign would see enormous oppression on the peoples of England, with the New Model Army enforcing its will through parliament, much was learned. A society run by oppressive government led to the rearming of citizens, the right to follow your own faith, as well as bringing back the Crown for Charles II. People greatly feared a return to such an era of violence, and as such looked to put in better defensive measures to counter such escalation. This obviously ties in well with Canadian government, despite the need to arm citizens being more closely followed by its southern neighbour.
An online version of the Putney Debates can be found here:
http://www.constitution.org/lev/eng_lev_08.htm
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