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Levellers

Alternate meaning: The Levellers (band).

This text is part of the Liberalism series (III)

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The Levellers were a 17th century English political faction. The Levellers were one of the largest factions on the Parliamentarian side during the English Civil War. Some consider The Levellers to be the first true English political party. They were organised at the national level, with offices in a number of London inns and taverns; a newspaper (The Moderate), and were extremely well-supported from within the ranks of the New Model Army.

The Levellers political ambitions were fundamentally middle-ground, and involved a remodelling of the English political process along the lines of a more egalitarian and less class-driven regime. Their views were in stark contrast to groups such as The Diggers, also known as The True Levellers led by Gerrard Winstanley, which called for a total destruction of the existing order and replacement with a communistic and agrarian lifestyle based around the precepts of the early Christians.

The whole basis of Leveller politics was original in that it was not founded on religious doctrine. What the Levellers sought was a secular republic, without religious direction from the state. In common with later liberals they called for the abolition of tithes, the feudal fee charged to pay for the state church. They argued for complete religious tolerance, a position which was markedly radical for the time.

The Levellers largest petition titled To The Right Honovrable The Commons Of England was presented to Parliament on September 11 1648 after amassing signatories including about a third of all Londoners. An outline of the reforms the Levellers wanted can be found in their pamphlet An Agreement Of The Free People Of England written on May 1 1649 while the leaders of the Levellers were being held in the Tower of London. It includes reforms since made law in England such as the right to silence and others such as an elected judiciary that have not.

The most vocal of the Leveller leaders was John Lilburne. Other leaders included William Walwyn, Thomas Prince and Richard Overton.

See also

• Timeline of liberal parties in the United Kingdom