Politics, finance, and the people : economical reform in England in the age of the American Revolution, 1770-92

In December 1779, charges of political corruption and the cost of the American War unleashed a political and popular movement in Britain called ‘economic reform.’ It began as a political struggle between the Crown and the Opposition parties, which was supported by a powerful surge of public opinion. The initial objective of the Opposition was to reduce the ‘influence of the Crown’ – the honors, patronage, contracts, and other benefits used by the King and his ministers to strengthen their political support in Parliament and elections. In mid-course, economical reform shifted to an emphasis on better management of the finances – improved collection of the revenue, recovering balances held by offices of tax collection and expenditure, reform of accounts and audit, abolition of sinecures and fees, and establishment of a systematic process of debt reduction. The investigations and reforms of the 1780’s were the crucial first step in the long-term reform of administrative structure. "In December 1779, charges of political corruption and the cost of the American War unleashed a political and popular movement in Britain called 'economical reform'. It began as a political struggle between the Crown and the Opposition parties, which was supported by a powerful surge of public opinion. The initial objective of the Opposition was to reduce 'the influence of the Crown' - the honors, patronage, contracts, and other benefits used by the King and his ministers to strengthen their political support in Parliament and elections. In mid-course, economical reform shifted to an emphasis on better management of the finances - improved collection of the revenue, recovering balances held by offices or tax collection and expenditure, reform of accounts and audit, abolition of sinecures and fees, and establishment of a systematic process of debt reduction. The investigations and reforms of the 1780s were the crucial first step in the long-term reform of the administrative structure."-- Back cover In December 1779, failure in the American War unleashed a political and popular movement in Britain called 'economical reform'. It began as a political struggle between the Crown and the Opposition parties, which were supported by a powerful surge of public opinion. The initial objective of the Opposition was to reduce 'the influence of the Crown' - the honours, patronage, contracts and other benefits used the the King and his ministers to strengthen their political support in Parliament and elections. In midcourse, economical reform shifted to an emphasis on better management of the finances - improved collection of the revenue, recovering balances held by offices of tax collection and expenditure, reform of accounts and audit, abolition of sincecures and fees, and establishment of a systematic process of debt reduction. The investigations and reforms of the 1780s were the crucial first step in the long-term reform of the administrative structure Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 7 List of Abbreviations......Page 9 1 Introduction......Page 10 2 The Foundations, 1760–70......Page 15 3 The Rise of Economical Reform, 1770–79......Page 25 4 The Crown, the Parties, and the People, 1780......Page 46 5 Lord North, 1780–82......Page 71 6 The Rockingham Ministry, 1782......Page 104 7 The Shelburne Ministry, 1782–83......Page 123 8 The Coalition Ministry, 1783......Page 148 9 William Pitt and Fiscal Stability, 1783–92......Page 172 10 William Pitt and Economical Reform, 1783–92......Page 198 Afterword......Page 235 Notes......Page 237 Bibliography......Page 267 B......Page 278 C......Page 279 D......Page 280 F......Page 281 G......Page 282 N......Page 283 P......Page 284 R......Page 285 S......Page 286 Y......Page 287 This book traces the changes in the organization of the British economy following the War of American Independence, which unleashed a political crisis and popular movement in Britain based on demands for 'economical reform'.