Routledge Ideas of Contract in English Political Thought - John Locke Era

Originally published in 1987, this scholarly work examines how contract was understood and debated in English political discourse during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The book provides essential evidence for reassessing conventional interpretations of political ideas, social groups, and practices of the period, whilst also contributing to broader understandings of modern European contract theory. Through analysis of diverse sources ranging from philosophical treatises to sermons and polemical pamphlets, the author traces various vocabularies and conceptualisations of contract as they appeared across intellectual and popular discourse, offering insights into the philosophical foundations that shaped political thought during the Age of John Locke.