The military revolution and political change : origins of democracy and autocracy in early modern Europe / Brian M. Downing.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Downing, Brian M., 1953- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Democracy--History.

Democracy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 308 pages)

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, [1992]

Summary:

To examine the long-run origins of democracy and dictatorship, Brian Downing focuses on the importance of medieval political configurations and of military modernization in the early modern period. He maintains that in late medieval times an array of constitutional arrangements distinguished Western Europe from other parts of the world and predisposed it toward liberal democracy. He then looks at how medieval constitutionalism was affected by the "military revolution" of the early modern era--the shift from small, decentralized feudal levies to large standing armies. Downing won the American Political Science Association's Gabriel Almond Award for the dissertation on which this book was based.

Contents:

To examine the long-run origins of democracy and dictatorship, Brian Downing focuses on the importance of medieval political configurations and of military modernization in the early modern period. He maintains that in late medieval times an array of constitutional arrangements distinguished Western Europe from other parts of the world and predisposed it toward liberal democracy. He then looks at how medieval constitutionalism was affected by the "military revolution" of the early modern era

the shift from small, decentralized feudal levies to large standing armies. Downing won the American Political Science Association's Gabriel Almond Award for the dissertation on which this book was based

Notes:

Originally: 1992

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780691078861

0691078866

OCLC:

1223025943