English Society, 1660–1832
Religion, Ideology and Politics during the Ancien Régime

An extensively revised edition of a classic of modern historiography.

J. C. D. Clark (Author)

9780521666275, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 16 March 2000

596 pages, 9 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 3.4 cm, 0.86 kg

'… as bold, as brave, as exciting a book as I have read on the eighteenth century this decade. It breaks the mould of Hanoverian politics.' John Morrill, on the first edition

This is a revised and extensively rewritten edition of a work first published in 1985 as English Society 1688–1832. That book arrived at the opening of a new phase in English historiography, which questioned much of the received picture of English society as secular, modernising, contractarian, and middle class; it began the recovery of the 'long eighteenth century', the period which saw a form of state defined by the close relationship of monarchy, aristocracy and church. In particular, it placed religion at the centre of social and intellectual life, and used ecclesiastical history to illuminate many historical themes more commonly examined in a secular framework. In its updated form, this book reinforces these theses with new evidence, which extends its arguments into fresh areas of enquiry.

Introduction: the nature of the Old Order
1. From restoration to reconciliation, 1660–1760
2. The social and ideological premises of the old order
3. National identity: the matrix of Church and State
4. Before radicalism: the religious origins of disaffection, 1688–1800
5. The old order on the eve of its demise: slow erosion
6. The end of the Protestant constitution, 1800–1832: sudden collapse.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], British & Irish history [HBJD1]