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3 - Consensus Imperiled, 1640–1641

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 March 2021

William J. Bulman
Affiliation:
Lehigh University, Pennsylvania
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Summary

This chapter describes and explains the early weakening of consensual decision-making in the Commons between the opening of the Short Parliament and December 1642. The political conflicts of these years were not able, in themselves, to topple the consensual tradition prevailing in Parliament, but some of them further revealed the conditions under which consensual decisions become increasingly infeasible. Divisions that did occur often involved ideological conflict, but ideological conflict was insufficient for causing majoritarian decisions. Instead, divisions in the House were overwhelmingly related to perceived threats to the honor, privilege, existence, or authority of the House of Commons, the Parliament as whole, or its members in particular. Conflicts over what course of action best conduced to maintaining the status of the House were what consistently led to divisions.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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  • Consensus Imperiled, 1640–1641
  • William J. Bulman, Lehigh University, Pennsylvania
  • Book: The Rise of Majority Rule in Early Modern Britain and Its Empire
  • Online publication: 22 March 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108909648.004
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  • Consensus Imperiled, 1640–1641
  • William J. Bulman, Lehigh University, Pennsylvania
  • Book: The Rise of Majority Rule in Early Modern Britain and Its Empire
  • Online publication: 22 March 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108909648.004
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Consensus Imperiled, 1640–1641
  • William J. Bulman, Lehigh University, Pennsylvania
  • Book: The Rise of Majority Rule in Early Modern Britain and Its Empire
  • Online publication: 22 March 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108909648.004
Available formats
×