Daniel Defoe wasn’t just a novelist — he helped forge Britain itself

Daniel Defoe is remembered as the author of Robinson Crusoe — but that legacy hides a far more dangerous, politically explosive truth. Long before his novels reshaped literature, Defoe was shaping nations.

In this episode of History Rage, Paul Bavill is joined by historian Marc Mierowsky, Fellow and Lecturer in English at the University of Melbourne, to rage against the idea that Defoe was “just” a novelist. Instead, we uncover Defoe as a government propagandist, intelligence agent, and covert operator, working at the very heart of early British state power.

Marc reveals how Defoe:

• Operated as a political fixer and spy for Robert Harley
• Built one of Britain’s earliest nationwide intelligence and propaganda networks
• Infiltrated Scottish politics during the crisis years before the 1707 Act of Union
• Manipulated religious divisions, rebellion, and public opinion
• Helped sabotage organised resistance to the Union of England and Scotland

This is a story of dirty tricks, espionage, pamphlet warfare, and political manipulation, all carried out by a man later celebrated as a literary pioneer. It also raises uncomfortable questions about state power, surveillance, and whether the foundations of modern Britain were laid through persuasion — or coercion.

If you think you know Daniel Defoe, this episode will leave you furious, fascinated, and questioning everything.

About the guest

Marc Mierowsky is Fellow and Lecturer in English at the University of Melbourne, specialising in Restoration and early eighteenth-century literature, politics, and espionage. His research focuses on Daniel Defoe’s secret service work, propaganda networks, and the intelligence machinery behind the Anglo-Scottish Union.

Marc Mierowsky – links & contact

• Book: A Spy Amongst Us: Daniel Defoe’s Secret Service and the Plot to End Scottish Independence
• Publisher page / book retailers: Available via major academic and online booksellers
• Affiliation: University of Melbourne

Why this episode matters

Defoe’s story forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: the modern British state was built using surveillance, propaganda, and manipulation of public opinion. The debates around sovereignty, identity, and union that rage today were already burning in the early 1700s — and Defoe was pouring fuel on the fire.

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in:

• British history
• Scottish independence and the Act of Union
• Early modern espionage
• The hidden political origins of the novel
• Propaganda, intelligence, and state power

About History Rage

History Rage is the podcast that smashes historical myths and takes cherished assumptions out back and wrecks them. Hosted by Paul Bavill, each episode gives expert historians space to rage about the misconceptions they want destroyed.

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