History Britain Essay Plans

• William Pitt the Youngers domestic policy was successful in the period 1783-1801, how far do you agree?


  Introduction

  • Mostly successful
  • diminished with Pitts Terror
  • difference in attitude Pre-War 1783-1792 vs post-war 1793-1801
• William Pitt the Youngers domestic policy was successful in the period 1783-1801, how far do you agree?


  Para 1 - Reforms pre-war 1783-1792

  • consolidated fund, easily audited and reduced corruption
  • new taxes on luxury goods aimed at upper classes, reduced unrest amongst poorer people
  • sinking fund reduced debt by £10 million
  • Commutaation Acts reduced smuggling
  • Hovering act deterred smuggling & was very effective
  • Eden Treaty improved economy, trade debt became a surplus of £2 million
  • sinecures removed, saving government money, ending corruption
• William Pitt the Youngers domestic policy was successful in the period 1783-1801, how far do you agree?


  Para 1 - Reforms pre-war 1783-1792 (2)

  • Sinking fund only effective during peacetimes, borrowing to pay into it made no sense
  • consolidated fund was expensive to audit
  • wealthy people were unhappy with luxury taxes
  • paper money caused inflation
  • eden treaty had a short window of trade due to war
  • took until 1806 for sinecures to be removed and patronage still occured
• William Pitt the Youngers domestic policy was successful in the period 1783-1801, how far do you agree?


  Para 2 -post-war 1793-1801 (1)

  • 1792 ban on sedatious literature - Thomas Paines 'The rights of man'
  • 1794 suspension of habeas corpus - people could be detained without evidence or a trial
  • 1795 Pitts 'Gagging' rights - treason now unable to be spoken or written and large gatherings banned
  • 1799 corrosponding societies banned - political groups unable to corrospond with one another, limiting spread of radical ideas
  • 1799-1800 combination acts - trade union acts, made trade unionism illegal
• William Pitt the Youngers domestic policy was successful in the period 1783-1801, how far do you agree?


  para 2 - post-war 1793-1801 (2)

  • government sponsored counter revolutionary groups
  • government used agent provacateurs to stir trouble and rile up protests leading to arrests
  • few prosecutions - around 200
  • no regular police force to pursue offenders
  • Judges rarely convincted those accused of political crimes