Catharine Macaulay, born Catharine Sawbridge: social, political and economic radical, educationalist and republican historian,
in a portrait by Robert Edge Pine, oil on canvas, circa 1775 © National Portrait Gallery, London.
Macaulay (2 April 1731 – 22 June 1791) argued that if distribution of wealth is not evenly balanced, society will break apart, and anarchy followed by tyranny will ensue.
She wrote:
“every citizen who possesses ever so small a share of property, is equally as tenacious of it as the most opulent member of society; and this leads him to respect and to support all the laws by which property is protected.”
and:
“….it is only the democratical system, rightly balanced, which can secure the virtue, liberty and happiness of society”.
She was a democratic republican who supported the American and French Revolutions.
She saw that power given to a privileges few corrupts them, and that they too readily…
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First Night History 
Thank you for transferring Catharine Macaulay to First Night’s stage – I am dumbfounded by the neglect of this great thinker and historian.
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I had never heard of her and heaven above she should be better known so it was important as well as a pleasure to reblog, Pippa.
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Another excellent piece from Pippa.
Best wishes, Pete.
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