Paradigms in English political economy: Interregnum to Glorious Revolution.

The paper provides a model for describing how paradigms of political economy were engendered in England, 1647-c. 1690. It is submitted that 1 a paradigmatic distinction can be drawn between an atomistic perspective and a corporatist one; 2 the two perspectives were simultaneous, and engendered by alternative theories of sovereignty as presented by political discourse; 3 the connection between economic and political freedom was the opposite of what is commonly assumed. Free trade in any sense was endorsed by champions of absolute royal sovereignty, and state intervention in the economy was a common outcome of the way economic activities were conceptualized by supporters of a free constitution or a mixed monarchy. No historical narration follows the model, but some evidence for its historical plausibility is provided in sections 2 and 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]