What if Cromwell's commonwealth survives?

England would likely become the same world power - based on trade and industry - as in OTL. The same rights (a Bill of Rights of the Commonwealth) or maybe more progressive would be enacted by the republican parliament. The colonies in North America would become more republican as they already was.


Conflicts would erupt in regard to the new republican constitution - a monarchical republic under a more capable Lord Protector than Richard or a more aristocratic republic centred around a council/parliament.


Also, democratic agitation is conceivable and inevitable after foreign examples of popular uprising. A lasting Commonwealth of England would also have to deal with riots and rebellions in Scottland and Ireland; also, absolutist powers on the continent would have to be confined by ideological or military combat.


Simultaneously, England could support revolutionary movements in Europe (like a second Fronde in France or liberal groops in Sweden) to promote their order and install puppets/friendly regimes while fighting against the main concurrent on the See, the United Provinces, even if they are actually a republic).


Finally, the American provinces would mabe remain in the posession of England: a republican parliament, beeing more candic towards a representation of the oversea territories.
 
England would likely become the same world power - based on trade and industry - as in OTL. The same rights (a Bill of Rights of the Commonwealth) or maybe more progressive would be enacted by the republican parliament. The colonies in North America would become more republican as they already was.


Conflicts would erupt in regard to the new republican constitution - a monarchical republic under a more capable Lord Protector than Richard or a more aristocratic republic centred around a council/parliament.


Also, democratic agitation is conceivable and inevitable after foreign examples of popular uprising. A lasting Commonwealth of England would also have to deal with riots and rebellions in Scottland and Ireland; also, absolutist powers on the continent would have to be confined by ideological or military combat.


Simultaneously, England could support revolutionary movements in Europe (like a second Fronde in France or liberal groops in Sweden) to promote their order and install puppets/friendly regimes while fighting against the main concurrent on the See, the United Provinces, even if they are actually a republic).


Finally, the American provinces would mabe remain in the posession of England: a republican parliament, beeing more candic towards a representation of the oversea territories.

I think there would be an American independence movement, but it would probably occur later
 
Maybe a second democratic revolution in a few decades, based on the ideas of the Levelers?

The Levelers were a political movement during the English Civil War that emphasised popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before the law, and religious tolerance, all of which were expressed in the manifesto "Agreement of the People". They came to prominence at the end of the First English Civil War and were most influential before the start of the Second Civil War. Leveler views and support were found in the populace of the City of London and in some regiments in the New Model Army.

So as often happens, the English Revolution would proceed in stages, first a republican revolution, followed by a democratic revolution.

In OTL, they were brutally suppressed by the Commonwealth. Perhaps Cromwell's successor is more sympathetic to their ideals and allows then to resume operating?
 
Maybe a second democratic revolution in a few decades, based on the ideas of the Levelers?



So as often happens, the English Revolution would proceed in stages, first a republican revolution, followed by a democratic revolution.

In OTL, they were brutally suppressed by the Commonwealth. Perhaps Cromwell's successor is more sympathetic to their ideals and allows then to resume operating?

the levellers were a pretty small group though, and the enlightenment rather overshadowed their socialist views with libertarianism

I would expect gradual democratic reform through the 1700s and the enlightenment. With Britain being a democratic republic with a us style constitution by 1750.
 
"US" in OTL or in ATL? Do you think there would be Americans wanting the independance of the thirteen colonies?

Well, Cromwell was basically the Puritan's wet dream (in fact, a lot of New Englanders returned to England to fight as Roundheads in the Civil War), but there's also the fiercely Cavalier Tidewater and Carolina colonies. The Quakers and Germans in the Delaware didn't much care either way - but the Puritans in general didn't much like them. It's possible that a continuing Commonwealth might marginalize the Southern colonies and antagonize Pennsylvania and West Jersey enough to get them to want to withdraw.

Coolest possibility: English monarchy in exile in Virginia.
 
Well, Cromwell was basically the Puritan's wet dream (in fact, a lot of New Englanders returned to England to fight as Roundheads in the Civil War), but there's also the fiercely Cavalier Tidewater and Carolina colonies. The Quakers and Germans in the Delaware didn't much care either way - but the Puritans in general didn't much like them. It's possible that a continuing Commonwealth might marginalize the Southern colonies and antagonize Pennsylvania and West Jersey enough to get them to want to withdraw.

Coolest possibility: English monarchy in exile in Virginia.

A surviving Commonwealth might well lead to a lesser sense of revolt in New England, which was at the heart of the rebellion before Tory counter-measures (Like the Boston Port Bill) would end up uniting the Colonies for the first time. Remember also that Colonials going to and living in America were not rebellious so much as desiring to be left alone. More likely I would think the policy of Benign Neglect would continue. It took the pre-eminence gained at the end of the 7YW and the Stupid Overconfidence gained from THAT that led George III and his Friends to go forward with the policy of running the Colonies directly from Westminster. Under a Commonwealth more likely to be tied up in Continental affairs (and more likely to give a listening to American agents/representatives than Tory officials) I don't see history repeating itself in an American Revolution.

One of the biggest advantages of Benign Neglect was that it gave London the ability to play the role of mediator between inter-colonial squabbles, rather than facing a united colonial front due to meddling on Whitehall's part.
 
Getting Fairfax more involved might let the Commonwealth survive. He was one of the few Parliamentarians that Cromwell actually respected.
 
otl US, the enlightenment would still occur, and the classical liberal principles that gave birth to the US would still emerge

IMO though I don't think w/out the events of post-7YW you'd see the relative madcap pace of development into rebellion as seen IOTL. Slavery and a lack of sticking into hornet's nests by London ITTL could have unknowable effects of TTL in terms of the Colonies turning to independence.
 
Top