Levellers
Sign in to saveThe Levellers were a political movement active during the English Civil War who were committed to popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before the law and religious tolerance. The hallmark of Leveller thought was its populism, as shown by its emphasis on equal natural rights, and their practice of reaching the public through pamphlets, petitions and vocal appeals to the crowd.
Key facts
- Political party.name
- Levellers
- Political party.logo
- Agreement of the People (1647-1649).jpg
- Political party.caption
- An Agreement of the People, a series of manifestos, published between 1647 and 1649, for constitutional changes to the English state often associated with the Levellers
- Political party.leader1_title
- Leaders
- Political party.leader1_name
- John LilburneRichard OvertonWilliam WalwynThomas Prince
- Political party.split
- Roundheads
- Political party.ideology
- RadicalismRepublicanismUniversal suffragePopulism
- Political party.national
- Roundheads
- Political party.affiliation1
- Agitators
- Political party.position
- Left-wing
- Political party.colours
- Sea green
- Political party.affiliation1_title
- Military wing
- Political party.successor
- Radical Whigs
- Political party.country
- England
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Levellers' Manifest.jpg
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- Commons category
- Levellers
Sources (2)
via Wikidata · CC0
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Article
9 sectionsContents
- Origin of name
- Political ambitions
- Timeline
- ''The Moderate''<!--'The Moderate' redirects here-->
- Other usage
- See also
- References
- Sources
- Further reading
The Levellers were a political movement active during the English Civil War who were committed to popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before the law and religious tolerance. The hallmark of Leveller thought was its populism, as shown by its emphasis on equal natural rights, and their practice of reaching the public through pamphlets, petitions and vocal appeals to the crowd.
The Levellers came to prominence at the end of the First English Civil War (1642–1646) and were most influential before the start of the Second Civil War (1648–49). Leveller views and support were found in the populace of the City of London and in some regiments in the New Model Army. Their ideas were presented in their manifesto "Agreement of the People". In contrast to the Diggers, the Levellers opposed common ownership, except in cases of mutual agreement of the property owners.