Quaker Constitutionalism and the Political Thought of John DickinsonIn the late-seventeenth century, Quakers originated a unique strain of constitutionalism, based on their theology and ecclesiology, which emphasized constitutional perpetuity and radical change through popular peaceful protest. While Whigs could imagine no other means of drastic constitutional reform except revolution, Quakers denied this as a legitimate option to governmental abuse of authority and advocated instead civil disobedience. This theory of a perpetual yet amendable constitution and its concomitant idea of popular sovereignty are things that most scholars believe did not exist until the American Founding. The most notable advocate of this theory was Founding Father John Dickinson, champion of American rights, but not revolution. His thought and action have been misunderstood until now, when they are placed within the Quaker tradition. This theory of Quaker constitutionalism can be traced in a clear and direct line from early Quakers through Dickinson to Martin Luther King, Jr. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Origins of Quaker | 25 |
The Quaker Theory of a Civil | 65 |
Constituting a Quaker | 100 |
Civil Unity and Seeds of Dissention in the Golden Age | 136 |
Political Schism and the Rise | 177 |
Other editions - View all
Quaker Constitutionalism and the Political Thought of John Dickinson Jane E. Calvert No preview available - 2008 |
Quaker Constitutionalism and the Political Thought of John Dickinson Jane E. Calvert No preview available - 2012 |
Common terms and phrases
action advocate American Revolution Anarchy Articles of Confederation Assembly authority Barclay behavior believed British century Charter Christian church government civil disobedience civil government colony concerned conflict Congress constitution Council culture defined Delegates difficult discernment dissent divine ecclesiastical polity England explained find first fundamental law God’s law governor History Ibid individual influence Isaac Norris Isaac Penington James John Adams John Dickinson Keithian leaders Letters of Fabius liberty of conscience Light Lloyd London Lucretia Mott non-Quakers office official one’s pacifism peace testimony Penington Penn’s Pennsylvania government Philadelphia Philadelphia Yearly Meeting PMHB vol political thought popular practice Princeton principles Proprietary protest Province Puritan Quaker history Quaker Party Quaker political Quaker process radical reason reform religion religious resistance Revolutionary royal government RRL/HSP significant Society of Friends specific spirit Thomas traditional Quaker trimmer understanding unity University Press Whig William Penn writing wrote Yearly Meeting York