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Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not
used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad
quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are
images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to
keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the
original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain
imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made
available for future generations to enjoy.
Written in response to Sir Robert Filmer's "Patriarcha" (1680), the
"Discourses Concerning Government" by Algernon Sidney (1623-1683)
has been respected for more than three centuries as a classic
defence of republicanism and popular government. Sidney rejected
Filmer's theories of royal absolutism and divine right of kings,
insisting that title to rule should be based on merit rather than
on birth; and republics, he thought, were more likely to honour
merit than were monarchies. Like Milton, Sidney revered and
idealised the Commonwealth (1649-1660) as England's noble
achievement in the grand tradition of ancient Greece and Rome.
Sidney's treatise was published posthumously in 1698, 15 years
after he was executed for complicity in a plot to assassinate
Charles II. Sidney's papers, including a draft of the "Discourses",
were used as evidence against him. Although there is nothing in the
work incompatible with a constitutional monarchy, the indictment
claimed that it was a "false, seditious and traitorous libel",
citing sentences which stated that the king is subject to law and
is responsible to the people. Sidney's "Discourses" was widely read
in the colonies, and influenced a number of American revolutionary
leaders.
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