Government and politics in Scotland, 1661-1681
The few studies of Restoration Scotland which exist have been dominated by the single issue of church government, or to be more precise, by the conflict between a government committed to the maintenance of an episcopal church structure imposed by Parliament in 1661-2, and presbyterian dissenters. It is the contention of the present work that this has led to a distorted, and occasionally misleading, picture of government and politics in the country during the years after the return of Charles II from exile in 1660. The thesis covers a wide range of topics in an attempt to provide a more substantial overall interpretation of the period. After an initial chapter which discusses the Restoration settlement of 1661-3, providing a thematic and interpretative basis for the rest of the thesis, I adopt a more structural approach to the subject. There are chapters on the executive, government finances, the military and Parliament; the first two cover a twenty-year period, while the latter two discuss the years to about 1674. There follows a final chapter which examines the general political situation from 1674-1681, with emphasis placed on the themes discussed previously. This approach provides an opportunity for identifying
Lee, Ronald Arthur
History
Government and politics in Scotland, 1661-1681. The few studies of Restoration Scotland which exist have been dominated by the single issue of church government, or to be more precise, by the conflict between a government committed to the maintenance of an episcopal church structure imposed by Parliament in 1661-2, and presbyterian dissenters. It is the contention of the present work that this has led to a distorted, and occasionally misleading, picture of government and politics in the country during the years after the return of Charles II from exile in 1660. The thesis covers a wide range of topics in an attempt to provide a more substantial overall interpretation of the period. After an initial chapter which discusses the Restoration settlement of 1661-3, providing a thematic and interpretative basis for the rest of the thesis, I adopt a more structural approach to the subject. There are chapters on the executive, government finances, the military and Parliament; the first two cover a twenty-year period, while the latter two discuss the years to about 1674. There follows a final chapter which examines the general political situation from 1674-1681, with emphasis placed on the themes discussed previously. This approach provides an opportunity for identifying
government politics scotland study restoration scotland exist dominate single issue church_government precise conflict government commit maintenance episcopal church structure impose parliament presbyterian dissenter contention present_work lead distorted occasionally misleading picture government politics country year return charles_ii exile cover_wide range topic attempt_provide substantial overall interpretation period initial discus restoration settlement provide thematic interpretative basis rest adopt structural subject executive government finance military parliament first_two cover twenty year_period latter two_discus follow final examines general political_situation emphasis_place theme discuss previously provide_opportunity identify