A History of Britain 09. Revolutions (1 of 29)

A History of Britain

On January 30th, 1649, the English killed their king.
It had happened before - all those Edwards and Richards done in by their subjects.
But this was different.
The British monarchy itself had been exterminated.
Now there was just the people and its parliament, the keepers of the liberties of England.
What use was freedom when you were frightened?
What the people really wanted to know was - who would keep them safe?
Who'd stop the soldiers burning and pillaging, allow people to sleep quietly in their beds?
Who'd protect them from the wars of religion and politics which seemed to go on and on and on?

Would it be parliament or would it be a great general like Oliver Cromwell?
"It doesn't matter," said hard-headed philosopher Thomas Hobbes, a royalist who'd come back to Cromwell's England.
"What the country needs is a strong ruler "who embodies ALL the people.
"Whatever or whoever can save the country from anarchy, "whatever can save you from yourselves.
"Never mind about what's right or wrong.
"Put yourself in the hands of the power that protects, "the all-powerful Leviathan."
If that's Oliver Cromwell, then so be it.
It 's the reasonable thing to do.