"Before 1640, parliament was not powerful and it did not contain an opposition". Discuss. There are two schools of thought concerning parliamentary power and opposition prior to 1640. The older Whig ideal argues that Parliament was indeed powerful, and contained opposition to the government, i.e. the Crown, because a power struggle ensued, while the Revisionist faction denounces this view of a power struggle between Crown and Parliament. it is important that two key words are defined (…showed first 75 words of 1198 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1198 total…forth. These precedents and elevation of power caused severe problem throughout the reigns of Charles and James, and the elevation of power and opposition continued. The power struggle throughout the three reigns eventually led to the Civil War because with this elevation of Parliamentary power, only one ambition and plateau could be reached, the control of the country, the struggle for power. Parliament was indeed opposive and powerful as the Whig historian s correctly stated.