Problems of definition and periodisation of the Glorious revolution in England

Abstract

The article deals with the Glorious Revolution in England in the context of usability of definitions “the revolution” and “glorious”, and examines characteristic features of the causes of the revolution, its contradictions, and also the relevance of dating these events. It was shown that initially a “revolution” was synonymous with reaction in the modern sense, and only the events of 1688–1689 listed this word in the political dictionary. The authors conclude that the Glorious Revolution became the first revolutionary event for England, actualized the term “revolution” itself and fixed perception of its positive role by the concept of “gloryness”. Authors also depict the destructive role of James II, whose truly revolutionary reforms were not supported by the society and caused the change of power known as the Glorious revolution, thus having a conservative features, not typical for revolutions in modern sense. An important feature of the Glorious Revolution was the lack of a broad ideological base, it also had not the aim of creating a new type of society, but only ensured the restoration of the old order. The article demonstrates that the events of 1688–1689 did not solved all problems, and have continued a political discourse concerning a balance of Parliament, the monarchy and the Church in the kingdom, that allows one to speak about the chronological openness of the Glorious Revolution, in which the events of 1688–1689 can be see as its decisive point along with a post-revolutionary settlement that continued for decades. The Revolution laid the agenda for its contemporaries, setting the general direction, but not the dogmatic path, of national development. Refs 38.