Matthew McCormack is Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Northampton.

‘In exploring the relationship between gendered ideas of masculine behaviour and concepts of the political individual, this important book fills a yawning gap in both political history and gender history of the eighteenth century.’Karen Harvey, Reviews in History‘To say that this book on masculinity and Georgian politics in long overdue does not take away from Matthew McCormack’s achievement... It has been left to McCormack to re-conceptualize the history of political subjectivity through gender’s powerful organizing frame.’Timothy Jenks, Canadian Review of History'This is a very thoughtful and thought-provoking study of the meaning of the term 'independent' in Georgian England. McCormack moves beyond high politics and social history to combine the two in a fascinating discussion of electoral history.'Emma McLeod, University of Stirling (History - the journal of the Historical Association)

• List of figuresAcknowledgementsIntroduction1. Gender, obligation and political virtue2. Act the part of honest independent men3. From the Civil War to the Seven Years War4. Declarations of Independence, 1760-765. Rethinking the independent Englishman, 1770-976. Anti-Jacobinism and citizenship, 1789-18157. Independence versus Old Corruption, 1815-298. Independence and the Reform debates, 1830-2Conclusion

Matthew McCormack is Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Northampton.

‘In exploring the relationship between gendered ideas of masculine behaviour and concepts of the political individual, this important book fills a yawning gap in both political history and gender history of the eighteenth century.’Karen Harvey, Reviews in History‘To say that this book on masculinity and Georgian politics in long overdue does not take away from Matthew McCormack’s achievement... It has been left to McCormack to re-conceptualize the history of political subjectivity through gender’s powerful organizing frame.’Timothy Jenks, Canadian Review of History'This is a very thoughtful and thought-provoking study of the meaning of the term 'independent' in Georgian England. McCormack moves beyond high politics and social history to combine the two in a fascinating discussion of electoral history.'Emma McLeod, University of Stirling (History - the journal of the Historical Association)

• List of figuresAcknowledgementsIntroduction1. Gender, obligation and political virtue2. Act the part of honest independent men3. From the Civil War to the Seven Years War4. Declarations of Independence, 1760-765. Rethinking the independent Englishman, 1770-976. Anti-Jacobinism and citizenship, 1789-18157. Independence versus Old Corruption, 1815-298. Independence and the Reform debates, 1830-2Conclusion