Early Modern Democracy in the Grisons : Social Order and Political Language in a Swiss Mountain Canton, 1470-1620 (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)

Rating:
Summary: Careful scholarship on an area deserving more attention
Review: Head has written a solid work on historical scholarship. The area under study is called the Grisons, the Grey Leagues, and Graubunden, and is part of early modern Switzerland. Head takes on a number of historiographical battles that raged at the time of the writing, and some still do. One is the argument that communalism, the notion that common people could and here did work together to create a liberating and progressive political system, to be idealized along with ancient Athens as heroic models for today. Head shows how communalism was an idea that was preached and discussed, but that elites and factions combatted its core tenets, hindering its ability to function. He also looks at a famous uprising that some see in it communalism, but he shows how the Faehnlilupf movement never succeeded in its ambitious mission.
As for the factionalism in the region, which Head shows without a doubt existed and affected any idyllic wishes for pure democracy, it is shown to be an outcome of the major political forces in Europe using this part of Switzerland in turf wars for geopolitical advantage. The great powers competed for control of the area, leading to factionalism among its elites. And so this is another blow to those who want to find democracy or proto-Parliamentarism in 16th century Switzerland.
That said, however, the Grisons still presents a rich area of study, because of its tradition of independence from outsider control, and because it boldly evoked the language of communalism and freedom for all citizens, and as such should be paid attention to, especially by students of political language and of democratic movements in the past. And it is in the region's use of political language and its creation of a unique political culture that is the strength of Randolph Head's book.
It is to be highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Careful scholarship on an area deserving more attention
Review: Head has written a solid work on historical scholarship. The area under study is called the Grisons, the Grey Leagues, and Graubunden, and is part of early modern Switzerland. Head takes on a number of historiographical battles that raged at the time of the writing, and some still do. One is the argument that communalism, the notion that common people could and here did work together to create a liberating and progressive political system, to be idealized along with ancient Athens as heroic models for today. Head shows how communalism was an idea that was preached and discussed, but that elites and factions combatted its core tenets, hindering its ability to function. He also looks at a famous uprising that some see in it communalism, but he shows how the Faehnlilupf movement never succeeded in its ambitious mission.
As for the factionalism in the region, which Head shows without a doubt existed and affected any idyllic wishes for pure democracy, it is shown to be an outcome of the major political forces in Europe using this part of Switzerland in turf wars for geopolitical advantage. The great powers competed for control of the area, leading to factionalism among its elites. And so this is another blow to those who want to find democracy or proto-Parliamentarism in 16th century Switzerland.
That said, however, the Grisons still presents a rich area of study, because of its tradition of independence from outsider control, and because it boldly evoked the language of communalism and freedom for all citizens, and as such should be paid attention to, especially by students of political language and of democratic movements in the past. And it is in the region's use of political language and its creation of a unique political culture that is the strength of Randolph Head's book.
It is to be highly recommended.