The Origins of Parliamentarism: A Study of Sandys&#039; Motion

Dr. Tapani Turkka

doi:10.5771/9783845201818

Summary

In this study Tapani Turkka offers a discussion of the origins of parliamentarism in the context of early 18th century Britain. This is accomplished in the perspective of Dr. Turkka's new interpretation of John Locke's political thought in the Second Treatise. In this interpretation the exercise of state power is not by nature political but must be separately constituted as such. According to Turkka, Locke finds this possible to his contemporaries and succeeding generations of men. The origins of parliamentarism is seen to mean this very process of constitution of the use of state power as political. It is argued that this took place without a precedent during Sir Robert Walpole's long ascendancy (1721-1742) and due to his innovative policies.

Samuel Sandys' motion (1741) to remove Walpole from his office as Prime Minister embodies in a compact form the problems involved in the use of state power constituted as political in the context of early 18th century Britain emanating from the revolution of 1688. As such it allows a concentrated study of the origins of parliamentarism. This work will be of great interest and importance for scholars in political science and history.

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/2007
Copyright year: 2007
ISBN-Print: 978-3-8329-2615-1
ISBN-Online: 978-3-8452-0181-8
Publisher: Nomos, Baden-Baden
Series: Studies in Political Theory
Volume: 2
Language: English
Pages: 236
Product type: Book Titles

Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis No access Pages 2 - 6 Tapani Turkka
Acknowledgements No access Pages 7 - 8 Tapani Turkka
1. Time-point, era and the longue durée; parliamentarism No access Pages 9 - 14 Tapani Turkka
2. “A kind of parliamentarism” No access Pages 14 - 21 Tapani Turkka
3. Objectives of the study No access Pages 21 - 27 Tapani Turkka
4. Study material and procedure No access Pages 27 - 33 Tapani Turkka
1. The motion No access Pages 34 - 37 Tapani Turkka
2. The grounds for the motion No access Pages 37 - 41 Tapani Turkka
3. Walpole’s reply No access Pages 41 - 44 Tapani Turkka
1. Formation of the modern concept of revolution No access Pages 45 - 48 Tapani Turkka
2. Necessity for a discriminative analysis No access Pages 48 - 51 Tapani Turkka
3. Return to the acknowledgedly right state of affairs No access Pages 51 - 57 Tapani Turkka
4. Long-term structural change No access Pages 57 - 63 Tapani Turkka
1. A condition on Locke’s doctrine No access Pages 64 - 72 Tapani Turkka
2. 1. The state of nature is the state all men are naturally in No access Pages 72 - 74 Tapani Turkka
  2. Every man in the state of nature disposes of power No access Pages 74 - 77 Tapani Turkka
  3. A “strange doctrine” No access Pages 77 - 79 Tapani Turkka
3. 1. Inconveniences in the state of nature as grounds for membership in a society No access Pages 79 - 81 Tapani Turkka
  2. Membership in society No access Pages 81 - 84 Tapani Turkka
  3. The significance of entry into membership in a society No access Pages 84 - 86 Tapani Turkka
4. 1. Political power – what is it? No access Pages 86 - 88 Tapani Turkka
  2. The formation of political power No access Pages 88 - 93 Tapani Turkka
  3. The exercise of political power No access Pages 93 - 96 Tapani Turkka
5. 1. Meaning at point in time No access Pages 96 - 101 Tapani Turkka
  2. Significance in period No access Pages 101 - 107 Tapani Turkka
  3. Significance in the longue durée No access Pages 107 - 111 Tapani Turkka
6. The possibility of realisation of the doctrine No access Pages 111 - 115 Tapani Turkka
1. What is involved? No access Pages 116 - 119 Tapani Turkka
2. The locus of constitution No access Pages 119 - 124 Tapani Turkka
3. The problem of viability No access Pages 124 - 130 Tapani Turkka
4. The constitution of political power No access Pages 130 - 138 Tapani Turkka
1. Walpole’s programme No access Pages 139 - 140 Tapani Turkka
2. Freedom No access Pages 140 - 145 Tapani Turkka
3. Constraint No access Pages 145 - 155 Tapani Turkka
4. The Margin No access Pages 155 - 158 Tapani Turkka
1. 1. Political responsibility in the exercise of power No access Pages 159 - 160 Tapani Turkka
  2. The legitimacy of the exercise of political power No access Pages 160 - 164 Tapani Turkka
  3. The possibility of realisation of legitimacy No access Pages 164 - 168 Tapani Turkka
  4. Re-definition of legitimacy No access Pages 168 - 175 Tapani Turkka
2. 1. Patterns of power No access Pages 175 - 177 Tapani Turkka
  2. The nature of the power pattern No access Pages 177 - 180 Tapani Turkka
  3. The opposition perspective No access Pages 180 - 186 Tapani Turkka
  4. The government perspective No access Pages 186 - 194 Tapani Turkka
3. 1. The opposition programme No access Pages 194 - 202 Tapani Turkka
  2. Implementation of the opposition programme and the motion to remove Walpole from office No access Pages 202 - 206 Tapani Turkka
  3. Government supporters and the motion to remove Walpole from office No access Pages 206 - 210 Tapani Turkka
  4. The pattern of power and the motion to remove Walpole from office No access Pages 210 - 215 Tapani Turkka
Conclusion No access Pages 216 - 221 Tapani Turkka
Bibliography No access Pages 222 - 236 Tapani Turkka