1783-1812 : politics

Question 1

what was the political crisis of 1784?

Answer 1

defeats in American war of independence (eg Yorktown in 1781), led to the resignation of lord north (kings favourite), and 3 brief prime ministers.

Question 2

why did Rockingham’s premiership end ?

Answer 2

rockingham started peace negotiations but died unexpectedly in july 1782.

Question 3

why did Shelbourne’s premiership end ?

Answer 3

fox and north had started a coalition and had enough support to bring down Shelbourne’s government.

Question 4

why did the fox-north coalition come to an end ?

Answer 4

duke of Portland was the prime minister but fox and north were the two main members (despite previously hating each other). George iii did not want to appoint the gov but was forced. India bill of 1783 portrayed the government as selfish as they wanted to reduce kings control. lords blocked the bill and he dismissed the government.

Question 5

who did Pitt’s government consist of?

Answer 5

he had to give members of the house of lords ministers as he had no support in parliament.

Question 6

what was Pitt’s government known as ?

Answer 6

the mince-pie administration as it was thought it would not last until Christmas.

Question 7

what happended during the 1784 election?

Answer 7

• Pitt won the election.
• used the power of king+governments patronage
• John Robinson (‘ratcatcher’) had expertise in fixing elections and did so in the King’s favour.
• where people were free to vote they often voted for Pitt as he was most likely to reform politics
• 100 of Fox’s MPs ‘Fo’s maytrs’ lost their seats.

Question 8

Pitt’s reforms
Government finance

Answer 8

• Smuggling : between 3 and 4 million tonnes of tea was smuggled a year.
  Gov passed Hovering Act 1784 which allowed customs to search ships 12 miles out to sea
  Reduced import duties so less smuggling took place.
  -Raising taxes : Pitt introduced taxes on upper class pleasures such as horses, wigs and servants.
  He also taxed windows and candles which hit the lower orders and caused backlash.

Question 9

Pitt’s reforms
Government finance 2

Answer 9

• The sinking fund : Money from taxation was paid directly into this fund which acrewed interested and was used to pay national debt
  He appointed commisioners to make sure it was ran effectively
  By 1793 National Debt had reduced by £10 million
  However it did not work well outside of peace time.

Question 10

Pitt’s reforms
Administration:

Answer 10

• The government was highly inefficient, Gov posts were seen as property, they were not required to keep office hours and many were sinecures
• Pitt reduced the number of sinecures by 200 positions by not replacing them when the holder died.
• Efficient departments were given more work to do.
• established an Audit office to oversee public spending and curb corruption.

Question 11

Pitt’s reforms
Trade

Answer 11

• Without American colonies Britain needed to strengthen trade elsewhere
• Commutation Act 1784 : reduced import duties on tea from 119% to 25%. The ammount of tea that passed through customs almost doubled
• Consolidation Act : lowered, simplified or removed complex custom duties on imports ad exports which encouraged countries to trade with Britain.

Question 12

Pitt’s reforms
Trade 2

Answer 12

• Trade deals :
• France, Eden Treaty 1786 - free trade treaty where Britain recieved wine and France manuactured goods with reduced duties. But did not last long as revolution.
• Ireland : Pitt wanted to improve relations but Irish Parliment refused as hey did not want to contriute to the defending of British empire
• The Americas : Navigation Act meant that only British ships could dock in British colonies which hindered trade with US and British territories but eventually they recovered.
• China : Britain recived lots of te from China and Britain wanted them to take more of their goods but the emperor remained reluctant.

Question 13

Pitt’s reforms
Parliamentary reform

Answer 13

Pitt made one half-hearted attempt at reform when he introduced a bill that would have removed 36 rotten boroughs and gave their seats to growing counties. However he did not persue the bill after finding out that the king was hostile.

Question 14

Pitt’s defeats

Answer 14

• tried to scrutinize the legality of Fox’s victory in Westminster constituency but failed and it looked like a political tactic.
• second attempt at introducing an anglo-irish trade deal failed and arroused oposition.
• plan to fortify the naval docks in Plymouth and Portsmouth was defeated because of the cost and ministers were scared that it was a way to boost ministerial patronage.

Question 15

what was the regency crisis of 1788-89?

Answer 15

• in 1788 the King had a ‘spasmodic bilious attack’ and later had a second one.
• he suffered from agitation, gabbling and mental confusion
• the opposition was convinced a regency was needed and fought for the Prince of Wales to take over.

Question 16

How did Pitt deal with the crisis ?

Answer 16

• Parliament debated a regency
• Pitt appointed a committee to examine the King’s state in order to delay the regency
• in 1789 Pitt reluctantly introduced a regency bill which was designed to limit the regents power as much as possible. eg had no power to create peers.
• After the bill passed in the Commons, the King was recovering and the crisis was over.