Thomas Cromwell’s Political Activities

Thomas Cromwell was a prominent politician of Tudors at the beginning of sixteenth century, he made great contribution to Religious Reformation and Government Reformation in Herry Ⅶ’s years. At the end of fifteenth century and early sixteenth century, with the development of British capitalism, the rise of the new aristocracy and bourgeoisie, and the popular of new thought which was against the traditional Christian, British people’s national consciousness strengthened, the establishment of a nation state was already under deliberation.Conforming to the historical trend of the times,Cromwell promoted the religious reformation through parliament and dissolved monasteries in a large scale against the power of the church. The reformation made British out of interference from the church of Rome,so that, king became the chief of state in both of government and religious affairs, the problem with which was difficult to deal in the long history of Britain between king and church was solved.In addition,Cromwell promoted the government reformation,which lead to the formation of a new mechanism in government operation and the establishment of new departments with the nature of modern bureaucracy,to strengthen the powers of the central government. The reformation advocated and presided by Cromwell was on behalf of the interests of the new aristocracy and bourgeoisie. His effort of eliminating interference from outside to establish a powerful monarchy and independent sovereignty reflected the requirements of early development of capitalism and the establishment of a unified national state,laying the foundation for the modernization of British. For that matter, the contribution Cromwell made for Britain should not be underestimated.