Spectres of John Ball - The Peasants' Revolt in English Political History, 1381-2020 - James Crossley
Rodney Hilton: Ball at the End of Historical Materialism?
Spectres of John Ball - The Peasants' Revolt in English Political History, 1381-2020 - James Crossley
James Crossley [+]
St Mary's University, London
James Crossley is Research Professor in Bible, Society, and Politics at MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion, and Society, Academic Director of the Centre for the Critical Study of Apocalyptic and Millenarian Movements (CenSAMM), and Professor of Bible and Society at St Mary's University, Twickenham, London. He is author of numerous books and articles on Christian Origins, reception history of the Bible, and English politics and religion, reception history of the Bible, including Cults, Martyrs and Good Samaritans: Religion in Contemporary English Political Discourse (Pluto, 2018). The website John Ball, English Legend provides images and resources discussed in Spectres of John Ball.
Description
This chapter looks at the most influential academic Marxist portrayal of 1381 by Rodney Hilton which developed ideas of religious dissent and understandings of peasantry. While Hilton can be seen as a high point in historical materialist approaches, his popular influence soon waned amidst a fragmented post-1968 Left.