English resistance to a standing army

English resistance to a standing army refers to the long-standing political and constitutional opposition in England to maintaining a permanent military force in peacetime. Before the mid-seventeenth century, national defence relied on local militia, noble levies, and mercenaries. The creation of the New Model Army by Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War demonstrated the effectiveness—but also the dangers—of a professional army under centralized control.

After the Restoration in 1660, fear of military despotism shaped English political thought. The 1689 Bill of Rights confirmed that no standing army could be maintained without Parliament’s consent, establishing the principle of civilian oversight. Despite continuing unease through the eighteenth century, especially among advocates of the militia system, a permanent army became an accepted feature of the modern British state.