Canon Quote by Bernard Bailyn
“The idea of sovereignty current in the English speaking world of the 1760's was scarcely more than a century old. It had first emerged during the English Civil War, in the early 1640's, and had been established as a canon of Whig political thought in the Revolution of 1688.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution, 1967
Sovereignty in the 1760s was a relatively new concept, rooted in the English Civil War and solidified by Whig thought after 1688.
In simple terms: Sovereignty was a recent idea then, shaped by earlier wars and political theory.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how new political ideas evolve from conflict.
Themes
politics
history
sovereignty
ideas
theory
Mood
analytical
historical
Type
academic
explanatory
When to use this quote
- academic research
- policy analysis
- public discourse
Key Concepts
social contract
legitimacy
state formation
Questions to Reflect On
- How did the English Civil War influence later political thought?
- What role did Whig ideology play in shaping sovereignty?
A Different Perspective
Ideas may be contested and reinterpret over time.
![“[Cultural relativism] licenses the envy of the untalented, giving rise to what has been called the revenge of failure: Those who cannot paint destroy the canons of painting; those who cannot write reject canonical literature.” quote by George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/10e/george-will-1177_books_cultural-relativism-licenses-the-envy-of_246138.jpg)