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Whigs and Hunters: The Origins of the Black Act of 1723

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Whigs and Hunters: The Origins of the Black Act of 1723
29.99 €
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In 1723, the English Parliament passed one of the harshest laws in modern history—the so-called Black Act. Drafted by the Whigs, it prescribed the death penalty for anyone appearing on private hunting grounds "with a blackened face" to commit poaching or vandalism. Edward Thompson, a classic historical scholar and one of the founding fathers of British "new social history," conceived this book from the idea of writing an extensive microhistorical commentary on this law. Drawing on archival documents, the author analyzes in detail the legal, socioeconomic, and political context of the Black Act's emergence and its practical application. This close attention to the law reveals its astonishing lingering effect: aimed at protecting the property of the elite, it unexpectedly provoked a broad debate about justice and contributed to the triumph of the rule of law in the English social system.
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