Charles Davenant (1656-1714) – English pamphleteer and politicians

Abstract

The subject of this research is the biography of the English thinker, pamphleteer and politician Charles Davenant (1656-1714). The author examines Davenant’s life and activity, as well as factors that affected his career and determined the peculiarities of his writings. Different stages of his biography, particularly participation in the political struggle of England of the late XVII – early XVIII centuries are reviewed. Special attention is paid to the role of Davenant as the author of pamphlets and political treatises. The evolution of his views throughout a lifetime is being traced. In the course of this research, the author applies historical-biographical method, reconstructs his life circumstances, specifics and results of activity of the thinker in the context of his era. The novelty is defined by the relevance of studying C. Davenant’s heritage within the framework of English culture of the turn of XVII – XVIII centuries. The biography of Charles Davenant is still not covered within the Russian literature; as well as foreign authors did not give due attention to his career. The conclusion is made that Davenant’s career significantly influences the content and theme of his works. The acquired knowledge and experience from working in the departments of commerce and finances led him to development of the technique of “political arithmetic”. It is also noteworthy that Davenant’s political alignment shifted in accordance with his career pursuits, which should be taken into account in further analysis of his views.