Given from the same spot where Richard Price used to preach as one of this Meeting House’s early Ministers, this talk will explore and celebrate the ideas of one of the most remarkable thinkers of his day, whose ideas were an important influence on the Founding Fathers of America.
Richard Price was a philosopher, mathematician, scientist, non-conformist preacher and political radical whose remarkable circle of friends included Benjamin Franklin and Mary Wollstonecraft. He was a passionate advocate for the American Revolution, and provoked both controversy and admiration when he published a bestselling pamphlet on the subject in February 1776 (Reflections on Civil Society…and the War with America).
In the run-up to the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, this event offers a chance to bring Price’s distinctive voice and ideas back to life, and to reflect on their relevance to contemporary and still-urgent debates about freedom, rights and society, including in America itself.
Sir Roly Keating is a former Chief Executive of the British Library, Controller of BBC Two and founding Controller of BBC Four. Since 2023 he has lived in the house on Newington Green which was home to Richard Price himself from 1758 to 1787.
Joining Roly for a panel discussion and Q&A after his talk with be Michael Goldfarb, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s upcoming series Mr Jefferson’s Library and the podcast First Rough Draft of History, and Bee Rowlatt, author of books including In Search of Mary and founding trustee of the human rights education charity the Wollstonecraft Society.
