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AQA: Industrialisation and the people: Britain, c1783–1885 - ESSAY PLANS
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British History essay plans1) “The reforms in finance, administration and trade 1783-1812 were remarkably
successful in strengthening Britain”. Assess the validity of this point of view
Overall Arg:
Successful only in times of peace – became unstuck by War with France
They were pretty fucking dank. Completely revolutionised the impetus in British politics -
proffesional and accelerated towards free trade - BRITAIN NEVER LOOKS BACK
Finance
1. Finance
- Free trade dealt with smuggling.
➔ 1784 Commutations Act – There was previously 40,000 involved in
smuggling and smuggling accounted for 20% trade in British ports
➔ Cut the duty on tea from 119% to 25%, (80% of it was smuggled)
➔ set a precedent for further reductions on wine (63% more revenue
through customs), spirits, and tobacco
➔ BUT ONLY RAISED £3 MILLION MAX (his claim) on smuggling compared to
£243 debt
- Taxes on luxury goods raised i.e. wigs, horses, etc. somewhat successful.
➔ Tried to introduce unsuccessful taxes such as the coal tax, which was
scrapped in the face of major opposition, as was the unpopular shop
tax and a charge on textile producers.
- Sinking Fund of 1786 reduced the National Debt by £10.25m, which stood at
£243m in 1783.
➔ However it was a disastrous policy during high expenditure of war that
Pitt was too stubborn to abandon
- 1783-92.
➔ Treasury income 47% higher.
➔ Fiscal deficit of £10.8m to surplus of £1.7m.
➔ Fiscal deficit was bound to improve once excessive expenditure due to
war had stopped.
➔ War with France increased Fiscal deficit
2. Administration
- 28 sinecures abolished by 1792 to reduce power or royal prerogative.
- But let them die out = v slow process
- Independent body audited public accounts from 1785
- Promoted talented administrators
➔ E.g. more staff in Customs and Excise to stop smuggling.
- Consolidated Fund Act 1787 was a significant success.
➔ 103 separate Exchequer accounts collapsed into single fund at treasury
- Failed Parliamentary Reform Bill in 1785 after he was defeated in the Commons
248 votes to 174.
➔ Opposed by the King. Aimed to abolish 36 rotten boroughs and transfer
their seats to London and other unrepresented areas.
, - Despite describing himself as an “independent Whig”, Pitt did little to reduce
power of the King.
➔ 119 new peers were appointed to help him in the Lords. Royal patronage
still remained.
- 1780 North set up independent comission to investigate public accounts and by
1783 it had produced 7/15 commisioned reports
➔ Pitt’s contribution was in capitalising on these reports
3. Trade
- Imports and Exports both rise a lot 1783-1790
➔ Value of British trade to Europe almost doubled.
➔ Imports £20 million from 12.5
➔ Exports £22 million from 10
➔ = Trade deficit of £2.5m to surplus of £2m.
- Hovering Act amendment (1784) – successfully tackled smuggling.
➔ Allowed smugglers’ vessels to be searched up to 12 miles out at sea.
➔ Combined with reductions of tariffs, greatly reduced smuggling as it
became more risky and less worth the reward.
- Trade envoys to 8 states.
➔ Dogged pursuit but no result(Spain, Portugal and Russia all deny)
- 1786 Eden Treaty with France, saw 10-15% decrease in tariffs.
➔ ...for only 5 years - France undermined agreements in 1791
- Free ports agreement with USA in 1787 which meant cheap wool for textiles.
➔ Diplomatic success – had been at war with USA 4 years before.
➔ However, limited trade with America after they declared war on
Britain in 1812
2) “William Pitt the Younger was able to dominate politics 1783-1806 because of
the weakness of the opposition”. Assess the validity of this view
Out of office 1801-1804
Overall Arg:
Dominated due to support of the King
1. Fragmentation of the Whigs.
- Began during Regency Crisis.
➔ Fox desperate for power and argues in favour of granting more power
to the Prince Regency (his friend George IV) so that he can become
Prime Minister.
➔ Appears to be hypocritical that a more radical Whig is arguing in favour
of more powers to the Monarchy; creates a divide within the Whig
party.
- French Revolution of 1789 first celebrated but then becomes a more divisive
issue.
➔ 1790 – Burke and Fox take opposing views on the French revolution,
eventually leading to Burke and various other moderate Whigs (1791),
including Windham (1792) and Loughborough (1793) to cross the floor
to Pitt’s bench in the coming years
, ➔ Portland Whigs Jan 1794 and gain 5 cabinet positions
➔ Fox left with little over 150 supporters
However, without the influence of King George III, Fox would have had a more credible
case as opposition leader
2. Support of King George III (Most important).
- Responsible for his appointment in the first place.
- Ensured victory for Pitt in the 1784 election, having dissolved Parliament 3
years prematurely.
➔ King’s electoral agent John Robinson bribed those in control of rotten
boroughs.
➔ Royal patronage ensured Pitt the Younger a majority of 31 seats.
➔ 160 Foxites lost their seats. ‘Fox’s martyrs’.
- Appointed 119 new peers in the Lords, to help Pitt’s government.
- Pitt the Younger defeated FOUR times in Commons from 1784-1786, all when he
faced royal opposition and final resignation in 1801 was because of King’s
opposition to Catholic Emancipation.
➔ i.e. Parliamentary Reform Bill 1785.
- Regency Crisis in 1788-9 highlighted Pitt’s dependency on George III against
Fox.
- King George III despised Charles James Fox – desperate not to see him in
government.
➔ Blamed Fox for the excesses of his son Prince George IV.
➔ Deliberately brought down the Fox-North coalition.
Pitt relied heavily on the support of the King and could only get legislation through with
his approval. Fragmentation of the Whigs was of secondary importance as George III
would do anything to prevent Fox from getting into government.
3. Successes of Pitt’s governments.
- Reforms of finance, administration, and trade were largely effective.
➔ Supporting free trade (i.e. 1784 Commutations Act).
➔ Turned fiscal deficit of £10.8m to surplus of £1.7m through effective
tariff reductions and administrative efficiency reforms etc.
➔ Trade deficit of £2.5m to surplus of £2m
➔ Treasury income increased by 47%.
➔ 28 sinecures abolished in 1792 to reduce the power of royal
prerogative.
- Stood for moderate reform and managed to gain large Parliamentary support.
➔ Gained support from moderate factions from all sides.
Pitt needed the approval of the King in order to pass legislation which translated into
success of his governments
3) “There was more continuity than change in the British economy 1783 to 1812”.
Assess the validity of this view.
Overall Arg:
Although somewhat localised, there was more change than continuity
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