Friends of government: loyalism, ideology and politics in revolutionary Massachusetts, 1765-1776
Date
1988Author
Nicolson, Colin
Metadata
Abstract
This thesis is intended to contribute toward our understanding
of the problem of why the Loyalists were unable to prevent
the American Revolution. The Loyalists were particularly
weak in Massachusetts, and this thesis continues and extends
the investigations of historians by studying the Loyalism,
ideology and political behaviour of the conservatives and moderates
of Massachusetts who opposed the Whig protest movement, 1765-
1776, many of whom became Loyalists. They are known collectively
as the "friends of government" -a term used by contemporaries.
The ideology of the friends of government, their political
behaviour in the General Court (the assembly) and town meetings,
and their political relationships with the royal governors
are examined in thirteen chapters. In addition, a prosopographical
survey of 727 friends of government supplements the study of
ideology and politics as behavioural determinants (determinants:
place of birth; residence; age; education.; religion; occupation;
tax assessment; membership of quasi-politcal voluntary associations;
subscription to various political protests; proscription as
a "Tory" by the Whigs; acts of Loyalty; proscription as a Loyalist
by the Patriot authorities and state government; and
the compilation of the dates of political awareness and
political activity for or against the provincial government. )
The failure of the Loyalists is traced to the ideological and
political conflicts of the 1760s and early 1770s when the friends
of government were unable to form durable anti-Whig political
coalitions and overturn the political dominance of the radicalled
Whig party. Consequently, in 1775-1776, few colonists (and
just over half the number of friends of government) were prepared to
declare their allegiance and Loyalty to Great Britain. A popular based
Loyalist movement never emerged in Massachusetts because of the
failure of the friends of government to create a popular anti-Whig
movement, 1765-1776.
