A Model Minority? The Dissenting Press and Political Broadcasting in the Georgian Revolution

Abstract

In 1660–88, Protestant Dissenters had been stigmatized as naturally rebellious and regicidal. However, from 1689–1716, they reshaped their image and became something of a ‘model minority’ in terms of their producing a number of loyalist political sermons in favour of George I far out of proportion to their actual percentage of the Christian population of England. How did they attempt to effect a change in public attitudes towards them, altering their reputation from radical fringe element to model minority? This essay uses James J. Caudle’s database/bibliography of the political sermons of 1714–17 in order to analyse patterns in the geography of Dissenter communities and publishing houses.

The Decline of Comprehension in the Church of England, 1689–1750

“…70 Dissenters harnessed their extensive network of authors and printers to present themselves as a "model minority," looking to leading Whigs to reward their Hanoverian loyalty. 71 Calamy pointed out the electoral reality, especially in borough constituencies: "The Interest of Low-Church, consider'd as separate from the Dissenters, I take to be insufficient to secure the Government." 72 Tories and High Churchmen sensed that Whigs and Dissenters would not stop at repealing the Occasional Conformity Act and Schism Act (1714).…”