This work investigates the core question of how James Harrington’s political theory, particularly his emphasis on the relationship between property and power, shaped the development of republican thought in the seventeenth century. Charles R. Blitzer, an established scholar of political history, utilizes Harrington’s primary texts—most notably The Commonwealth of Oceana—to reconstruct his intellectual framework. The book argues that Harrington’s materialist approach to politics provided a unique, secular alternative to the prevailing theological justifications for government during the English Civil War era.

This text serves as a dense, scholarly examination of seventeenth-century political thought, intended for students and specialists in the history of ideas. The framing suggests a rigorous, academic approach that prioritizes historical context and theoretical precision over popular accessibility.