Somerset's government and administration

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  • Somerset's government and administration
    • Privy Council made up of men who had risen to power under Henry VIII
      • Used the same methods of government
    • Lack of effective leadership
      • Existing problems had grown worse
        • Economic and financial expedients and a half hearted religious reform policy: confusion and uncertainty between landed elites and the general public
    • Summary: no reforms introduced. Failed to show the leadership necessary to compensate for the absence of a monarch
      • Tried to dampen down popular discontent, also he tried to continue the wars and tried to introduce religious reforms
        • Didn't want to lose the support of Protestant activistts as a Catholic revival could occur: endangering his hold on power
          • If he raised taxes, would be unpopular with the landed elites and taxpayers
    • Short term problems
      • Whether or not to continue the wars against Scotland and France
      • Question of religious reform
      • Finding ways of raising more revenue
    • Long term problems
      • Population was continuing to increase
        • Main cause of inflation as greater demands for goods: price rose
        • Threatened peoples living conditions
        • More people available for employment
          • Raised number of vagrants looking for work
        • Population of England growing at 1% each year
          • Rise of 700,000 pushing the figure from 2.3 million in 1520 to 3 million by 1550
      • Wages weren't increasing
        • Threatened peoples living conditions
      • More people available for employment
        • Raised number of vagrants looking for work
  • Needed to continue the war for national prestige and to retain support of the nobility
    • Country would be plunged into further debt
      • If he raised taxes, would be unpopular with the landed elites and taxpayers
    • Tried to dampen down popular discontent, also he tried to continue the wars and tried to introduce religious reforms
      • Didn't want to lose the support of Protestant activistts as a Catholic revival could occur: endangering his hold on power

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