L evellers were political radicals associated with John Lilburne, Richard Overton and William Walwyn. They had no special name for themselves; the term "Levellers" was coined by their enemies to imply that they favoured the abolition of property rights and the equalisation of wealth, which they strenuously denied — unlike the Diggers or "True Levellers". The Leveller program included religious toleration, reform of the law, free trade, an extended franchise, rights guaranteed under a written constitution and a government answerable to the People rather than to King or Parliament.
Many Leveller ideas were far in advance of their time; their legacy has been claimed as an influence by both socialists and libertarians. It was undoubtedly the first organised activist political movement to emerge in Britain. By 1648, Levellers were organised down to ward and parish level in London, with regular meetings of supporters and organisers in each ward, including women activists. An elected executive committee of twelve members met three times a week to discuss policy and strategy at the Whalebone Tavern, their London headquarters. Subscriptions were collected from members and regulated by two treasurers. The Levellers made full use of the printing press to circulate pamphlets and petitions, effectively developing the first mass political propaganda techniques to be used in Britain. A weekly newspaper, The Moderate, ran from July 1648 until its suppression in October 1649, co-ordinating Leveller supporters across the country.
The movement first emerged amongst middle-ranking civilians in London and southern England as the F