De Republica Anglorum Summary

Republica Anglorum, The Manor of Government or Policies of the Realm of England is a book by Sir Thomas Smith. A diplomat, member of parliament, and a scholar, Smith served as the ambassador to France on behalf of the British Royalty and the reigning Queen Elizabeth I. Smith’s goal was to justify and define the British systems of power under the monarchy.

The result was a definitive account of some of the greatest knowledge and insights on governance and policymaking, of the greatest power to have existed at the time. Smith’s exploration of the judicial system and government bureaucracy that governed England, offered emerging nations a blueprint on achieving a civilization of order, justice, power, and influence.

The author’s extensive experience as a diplomat for the British power greatly inspired this text and provided factual insights on governance. The book is considered a certified study on political science and has been recommended by most political scientists. Smith details how British systems were conceived and developed throughout their implementation.

Religious criticism befell the work for being apologetic to protestants. The religious systems during Queen Elizabeth’s reign were viewed as ungodly and did not adhere to some religious practices of England. Written in the 1560s, the author defended the emergence of protestants who, at the time were in direct conflict with the Catholic Church, which was intimately linked to the throne.