English Republicanism and the Neo-Roman Conception of Freedom Quentin Skinner’s Interpretation

The aim of the article is to discuss the interpretation of the conception of freedom found in English authors who defended the republican regime established in England between 1649 and 1660. In Quentin Skinner’s historical narrative, this conception of freedom, characterized by the absence of arbitrary interference, would be inspired by the Roman theory of free states, expressed mainly in the political thought of Machiavelli. The intention is to show that this narrative is problematic.