Algernon Sidney or Sydney (15 January 1623 – 7 December 1683) was an English politician and member of the middle part of the Long Parliament. A republican political theorist, colonel, and commissioner of the trial of King Charles I of England, he opposed the king’s execution. Sidney was later charged with plotting against Charles II, in part based on his most famous work, Discourses Concerning Government, which was used by the prosecution as a witness at his trial. He was executed for treason. After his death, Sidney was revered as a “Whig patriot–hero and martyr”.
Algernon Sidney or Sydney (15 January 1623 – 7 December 1683) was an English politician and devotee of the middle part of the Long Parliament. A republican embassy theorist, colonel, and supervisor of the procedures of King Charles I of England, he opposed the king’s execution. Sidney was far ahead charged with plotting adjoining Charles II, in allocation based upon his most well-known work, Discourses Concerning Government, which was used by the warfare as a witness at his trial. He was executed for treason. After his death, Sidney was revered as a “Whig patriot–hero and martyr”.
The works of Algernon Sidney, along when those of contemporary John Locke, are considered a cornerstone of western thought. Discourses Concerning Government cost Sidney his life. However, the ideas it put forth survived and ultimately culminated in the Glorious Revolution in England and the founding of the American Republic. Sidney directly opposed the divine right of kings embassy theory by suggesting ideas such as limited government, voluntary succeed to of the people and the right of citizens to fine-tune or abolish a corrupt government. Discourses Concerning Government has been called “the textbook of the American revolution.”