Radical Expression

This book examines radical politics in Britain in the wake of the American and French revolutions. Radical thinkers of the period expressed and disseminated their ideas not only in the formal language of journals and pamphlets, but also through symbols, such as the cap of liberty, which was hoisted at radical gatherings to invoke the ideas of the French Revolution. Even drinking rituals took on political meaning when radicals subverted the loyal toast to "His Sovereign Majesty, the King" with toasts "To the People, the source of all legitimate power." The book thus provides a colorful history of popular politics, examining such institutions as the Rotunda in London, a veritable circus of radical free thought where the "Devil's chaplain" preached deist sermons in full canonical robes. On a broader level, the book is an important contribution to discussions about the formation of political ideologies and communities of opinion, debates that are of great interest to historians today.