Front Page Authors (by Period) Andrew Fletcher

Andrew Fletcher

1655 - 1716

About the Author

Fletcher was a Scottish writer who opposed the 1707 union with England and was staunchly opposed to standing armies which he saw as a means to expand the power of the state and oppress the people. In preference to a standing army Fletcher believed that the ordinary people organised in militias were a bulwark of liberty.

In The Library:

• author: Selected Discourses and Speeches: A Discourse of Government with Relation to Militias; Two Discourses concerning the Affairs of Scotland; Speeches by a Member of the Parlaiment; A Conversation concerning a Right Regulation of Government (1698)

Quotations:

• Andrew Fletcher believed that too many people were deceived by the “ancient terms and outwards forms” of their government but had in fact lost their ancient liberties (1698) (14 February, 2005)