Apolitical activist, journalist, merchant, and religious rebel, Daniel Defoe was in a unique position to write about his times. Born the year the Restoration began, Defoe was a middle-class merchant who went bankrupt twice due to bad business deals and shifts in political attitudes. His varied life experiences equipped him to comment on the struggles of the working class and gave him broad insight into the benefits and consequences of England's growing wealth and power.
Restoration England: Emerging world empire. In 1660, the year Daniel Defoe was born, England became a monarchy again after a decadelong experiment with a parliamentary form of government. Charles 11 was restored to the English throne. His accession brought the royal family of the Stuarts back to power, and his reign marked the emergence of England as a formidable empire. Charles vigorously promoted trade and the shipping industry, and his support soon put England in a position to challenge the Dutch and Spanish-the leading imperial powers of the day-for a share of international markets. Under Charles the shipping tonnage in England soared and small port cities that had been in economic decline, such as Liverpool, began to prosper.
