Understanding the Diggers Movement (1649-50)

The question asks about the leader of the 'Diggers', a specific group known for their agrarian communist views in England during the period 1649-50. To answer this, we need to understand who the Diggers were and the context of their emergence.

The Diggers, also known as the 'True Levellers', emerged during the tumultuous period of the English Civil War and its aftermath. They were a radical agrarian movement who believed that the land belonged to everyone, not just wealthy landowners. Their main activity involved digging and cultivating common land or enclosed land, asserting a communal right to use the earth's resources for subsistence, hence the name 'Diggers'.

Key Figures in English Radical Movements (1640s-1650s)

Several radical groups and figures were active during this era of social and political upheaval. Let's look at the options provided:

• Laurence Clarkson: Clarkson was associated with radical religious sects of the time, particularly the Ranters. While a radical figure, he was not the leader of the Digger movement.
• George Fox: George Fox was the founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers. The Quakers were another significant religious group emerging during this period, but they were distinct from the Diggers and their focus was primarily on religious and social reform through peaceful means, not agrarian communism via digging common land.
• Gerrard Winstanley: Gerrard Winstanley was an English religious and social reformer, a political activist, and a writer. He is widely recognized as the main theorist and leader of the Diggers movement. He authored several pamphlets articulating their beliefs, such as "The New Law of Righteousness" and "The Law of Freedom in a Platform," advocating for a communal, land-based society free from private property and wage labour.
• John Lilburne: John Lilburne was a prominent leader of the Levellers. The Levellers were another important radical group during the English Civil War period, primarily advocating for political reforms such as expanded suffrage, equality before the law, and religious tolerance. While sometimes associated with the Diggers (who were also called True Levellers), Lilburne was not the leader of the Digger movement itself.

Identifying the Leader of the Diggers

Based on historical accounts and the key figures involved in the radical movements of 1649-50 England, Gerrard Winstanley was the principal figure and leader of the Diggers. His writings provided the ideological foundation for the movement, and he was actively involved in their attempts to establish communal settlements, notably at St. George's Hill in Surrey.

Therefore, the term 'Digger' is associated with the group led by Gerrard Winstanley.

Revision Table: English Civil War Radical Groups

Additional Information: The Diggers' Significance

Although the Digger movement itself was short-lived, lasting only about a year in its active phase of establishing colonies, their ideas were remarkably ahead of their time. Gerrard Winstanley's writings articulate a clear critique of private property and inequality, proposing a society based on cooperation and shared resources. Their actions were a practical attempt to live out these principles, challenging the established social and economic order. The Diggers are remembered as a significant expression of radical social and economic thought during the English Revolution.