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Soldiers and Citizens: The concept of citizenship and the Anjala Covenant, 1788-1790

Nordland, Hugo LU (2014) In Scandinavian Journal of History 39(2). p.246-263
Abstract
This article discusses the relationship between 'citizenship' and military duty during the late 18th century. This is illustrated by the legal conflict that erupted between the members of the Anjala Covenant and the Board of War in 1788. In a study of the records from the following court martial, the trial is viewed as a political discussion concerning the definition of the concept of the 'citizen'. The covenanters and the Board of War held different definitions of this concept, which had implications for when and how a military officer was allowed to act politically. According to the final verdict, a military officer was deemed not to be allowed to delve into politics during an ongoing war, even though he considered himself forced to do... (More)
This article discusses the relationship between 'citizenship' and military duty during the late 18th century. This is illustrated by the legal conflict that erupted between the members of the Anjala Covenant and the Board of War in 1788. In a study of the records from the following court martial, the trial is viewed as a political discussion concerning the definition of the concept of the 'citizen'. The covenanters and the Board of War held different definitions of this concept, which had implications for when and how a military officer was allowed to act politically. According to the final verdict, a military officer was deemed not to be allowed to delve into politics during an ongoing war, even though he considered himself forced to do so by his duty as a citizen. Through a study of the covenanters' own writings and arguments, a new picture emerges of how their collective insubordination was motivated. According to the covenanters themselves, they wanted the Anjala Covenant to be seen as an attempt to reach a compromise in a moral dilemma, which would inevitably force them to abandon either their duties as 'citizens' or as 'soldiers'. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
the Anjala Covenant, 'citizen', military duty
in
Scandinavian Journal of History
volume
39
issue
2
pages
246 - 263
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • wos:000336833300008
  • scopus:84899634063
ISSN
1502-7716
DOI
10.1080/03468755.2014.884980
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
28b9e8e0-1f26-42a8-af0d-ac96ddc906b9 (old id 4552335)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:24:51
date last changed
2022-01-27 19:03:07
@article{28b9e8e0-1f26-42a8-af0d-ac96ddc906b9,
  abstract     = {{This article discusses the relationship between 'citizenship' and military duty during the late 18th century. This is illustrated by the legal conflict that erupted between the members of the Anjala Covenant and the Board of War in 1788. In a study of the records from the following court martial, the trial is viewed as a political discussion concerning the definition of the concept of the 'citizen'. The covenanters and the Board of War held different definitions of this concept, which had implications for when and how a military officer was allowed to act politically. According to the final verdict, a military officer was deemed not to be allowed to delve into politics during an ongoing war, even though he considered himself forced to do so by his duty as a citizen. Through a study of the covenanters' own writings and arguments, a new picture emerges of how their collective insubordination was motivated. According to the covenanters themselves, they wanted the Anjala Covenant to be seen as an attempt to reach a compromise in a moral dilemma, which would inevitably force them to abandon either their duties as 'citizens' or as 'soldiers'.}},
  author       = {{Nordland, Hugo}},
  issn         = {{1502-7716}},
  keywords     = {{the Anjala Covenant; 'citizen'; military duty}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{246--263}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of History}},
  title        = {{Soldiers and Citizens: The concept of citizenship and the Anjala Covenant, 1788-1790}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03468755.2014.884980}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/03468755.2014.884980}},
  volume       = {{39}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}