Rioting students attack Royal car

[gaelic cowboy]

The Lord Protector.

When it came down to it, he was worse than the King he killed. We learned our lesson there and then. No more republics for Great Britain.

no the lesson was no more religious government.

[Rhyfelwyr]

no the lesson was no more religious government.

Actually, that is precisely what Cromwell was against. Him and his "sectarians" in the New Model Army were fiercely opposed to any sort of established church. The more politically moderate Puritans that supported the Restoration wanted Charles II to impose a Presbyterian church and remove religious toleration for Quakers, Baptists, Congregationalists etc.

Cromwell is seen as a dictator because he rose to power through the army but ultimately he fought for individual liberty. Yes he opposed the democratic Parliament, but only because they wanted to impose their own views on everybody because 'most people wanted to do it'.

Again, its a classic example of how we conflate liberalism with democracy because of our modern prejudices, when in fact the two are far from synonymous.

[gaelic cowboy]

Dont you think going round forcing people to close shops on certain days or not too eat mince pies using some kind of religion police force was fundamentalism.