Politics, Finance, and the People (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780230526204)

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.

Author: Earl Reitan
ISBN-10: 0230526209
ISBN-13: 9780230526204
Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
Language: English
Published: 05/16/2007
Pages: 278
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.06lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.69d