The Collected Social and Political Works of William Cobbett

This collection concentrates on Cobbett's social and political works, including selections from the Political Register for three key periods 1806-8, 1816-20 and 1830-32. The set illustrates the range and diversity of Cobbett's writings and provides easy and comprehensive access to the core of Cobbett's journalistic output.
During his life William Cobbett progressed from common ploughboy to Member of Parliament, one of the most powerful political writers in the land and a champion of the freedom of the press. He is probably most famous for his Political Register which he set up in 1802 and continued successfully to his death more than 33 years later. He is also well remembered for his 'Rural Rides', a term conjured for his tours of England, on which he inspected agricultural conditions in order to improve the state of the countryside.
Throughout his life there was much anti-Cobbett material which shows his power and independence of his character. He saw the labouring classes as helpless before an advance of financial and industrial power and gave them a courage, force and unity, which is ultimately his greatest memorial.