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The Commonwealth 1649-53 - Coggle Diagram
The Commonwealth 1649-53
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RADICALS
2 BELIEFS: Providence- the concept that events are never random and are part of a larger divine plan. Millenarianism- the belief in the imminence of the millennium Jesus Christ would return to reclaim earth and govern it with his saints.
Radical groups: baptists, Congregationalists, fifth monarchists, muggletonians, quakers, seekers, ranters and shakers.
The numbers of radicals is not what gave their sects significance but their disruptive ideas frightened authorities into thinking they wanted to destroy the existing authority.
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ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE RUMP
Religious Policy The Rump was divided pretty evenly with half of the members wanting a presbyterian State Church (Presbyterians) whereas the other half wanted local congregations to be able to permit their own form of worship (Independents). Both groups wanted to impose 'Godliness' on the nation. The Rump showed no real intention of reforming the Church partially due to the even split which made coming to an agreement difficult. However after the King's execution the growth in the belief of millenarianism. People felt the old forms of Church and government should be abandoned as they no longer mattered however the Rump didn't represent this idea as it would lead to no social order. As a result they published a government journal Mercurius Politicus to present public affairs.
Legal Reform There were demands for reform of the law as it was widely felt the Rump preserved the privileged, was in the hands of corrupt lawyers, was scandalously slow in operation and was highly expensive. However the Rump was not willing to reduce their priviliges, provide access to the courts for ordinary people, lower the legal fees as the votes that mattered to them was those of the gentry.
Social Policies The Rump worked made some schemes to lengthen education and for poor relief. However the Rump had limited time and spare money to do so as they were faced with demands of the war and national security.
Financial Policies The Rump was highly successful in making revenue via the taxation of goods, taxes on land, sale of Crown lands and Church property, the proceeds of confiscated royalist property and excise levies at the ports. However the Rump always fell short of money due to the Irish and Scottish campaigns along with the Dutch war.
OVERALL The Rump managed to maintain a stable government with the burdens it dealt with and made a considerable achievement in troubled times.
DISSOLUTION OF THE RUMP
The Rump was never meant to be permanent and majority of them voted for it to be disbanded in 1654. They even made plans for a new replacement however Cromwell and the Army's Council doubted their intentions and felt it may be a plan for the same members to have the same power.
Assessing the army's suspicions is difficult as the only copy of the bill was torn up by Cromwell at the time he dissolved the Rump. He marched to Westminster in front of a column of troops and told the members their sitting was at an end.
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