Explore the roots of a radical social experiment and the ideas that shaped a nation.
This nonfiction work examines the Diggers and their attempts to build a fair, cooperative society during the English Commonwealth. It weaves historical analysis with contemporary writings to illuminate how debates over land, authority, and freedom played out in a turbulent era.
This edition presents the story through the lens of Gerrard Winstanley’s writings and related materials, showing how calls for private judgment, communal ownership, and the rule of law intersected with religion, politics, and daily life. It highlights the mix of idealism and practical hardship that defined the Diggers’ break with prevailing norms, while tracing the broader context of the Reformation and its lasting impact on Western thought.
- Learn how early reform movements challenged authority and sought new forms of social and economic organization.
- See how primary excerpts and period poems reflect the Diggers’ hopes and fears during a pivotal moment in English history.
- Understand the connections between religious liberty, land use, and disputes over authority in 17th‑century Europe.
- Discover the enduring questions these historic experiments raise about justice, community, and governance.
Ideal for readers of history, political thought, and social reform who want a clear, accessible view of a bold experiment in shared power and moral economics.