Origin of Sovereignty and Boundaries of Royal Prerogative in Tory Political Controversy in Great Britain in Last Third of 18^th Century

Abstract

The discourse on the nature and boundaries of royal sovereignty, which unfolded with the coming to power of George III in Great Britain, is considered. The key features and changes in the constitutional views of the Tories that took shape in the 60—90s of the 18th century are examined in the article. The relevance of the study lies in determining the nature and role of the discourse under study in the formation of a new Tory identity, concentrating on the integral role of the monarch. The novelty of the research lies in the emphasis on the religious component of this discourse, as well as in the use of church sermons as a special kind of source. At the same time, some excerpts of sermons are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. It is emphasized that during the period under study, the Tory party did not have a political ideology, and the current policy was influenced by fears about the stability of the English constitution associated with the events in the North American colonies. The validity of the cautious approaches of the supporters of the critical direction in modern British historiography to the assessment of Tory identity in the last third of the 18th century is shown. The author’s assessment of how Toryism of the 60—90s of the 18th century reinterprets the experience of the “old Tories”, combining traditional respect for the royal prerogative with the recognition of the rights and privileges of parliament.

Keywords

• great britain
• 60-90s of the 18th century
• british constitution
• tory party, political discourse
• the nature of sovereignty
• royal prerogative
• the controversy between the tories and the whigs
• british historiography