Pitt the Younger

?
  • Created by: lydiax
  • Created on: 11-06-17 16:43

Support from George III

  • The King disliked the Whig coalition between Fox and North
  • Surprising because Pitt was only 24, had only been an MP for 4 years/Chancellor for 9 months
  • Pitt was the son of one of the most famous statesmen of the 18th century
  • Pitt had no real popular following or the support of MP's
  • Pitt lacked charm and persusion
  • King wanted an able and loyal PM - unlike Whigs who wanted to dominate him
  • Pitt was young and inexperienced
  • "A kingdom trusted to a schoolboys care."
  • King had confidence in him though people believed he would have a 'mince pie ministry'
  • King was concerned Pitt only had royal backing so urged an election in 1784
  • Pitt was a good speaker so MP's warmed to him
  • Pitt gained public recognition
  • King created new peers to support Pitt
  • Pitt rewarded supporters with royal patronage
1 of 7

1784 election

  • Election campaign was hard fought
  • Patronage from East India Company - the company disliked Fox's attempts to regulate it and so supported Pitt
  • Influence of royal agents in Parliament support Pitt
  • Pitt attracted those who favoured reform - known for his reform objectives
  • Pitt was careful to keep the King's confidence
  • By 1784, Pitt had support from the Commons, Lords and King which he needed to govern
2 of 7

Finance and Administration reforms

  • Income tax rose sharply from 1783-1800 than at any other time in the 18th century
  • Pitt became first British PM to introduce income tax on all yearly incomes over £60
  • Majority of wartime expenditure during conflict with France was raised from tax
  • 'Virtuous economics' - Boyd Hilton
  • Many taxes only affected the rich
  • Pitt's policies were not original
  • Trade and economic activity in Britain resulted in more income
  • Sinking fund only worked with long-term debt and in peacetime
  • Standards and morality of public life improved
  • Reforms were done slowly
  • Limits to the desire for change
  • Patronage not abolished until much later
3 of 7

Trade Policies

  • One of the most innovative elements of his administration
  • Recognised that Britain needed to expand its overseas trade
  • Trade deals could build alliances and prevent costly conflicts
  • Overseas trade - crucial importance for Britain
  • Trade was profitable an had earned Britain great fortunes
  • It was deemed that if nations traded without restriction then economic activity would grow
  • Pitt aimed to reduce trade duties with the US and Ireland
  • Pitt wanted commercial treaties with European powers such as Spain, Portugal, France and Russia
  • Most successful trade treaty was with France in 1786 - Britain offered low duties on imports of wines
  • Between 1783 and 1792, the value of British trade to Europe nearly doubled
  • Period of peace between 1783 and 1793 and British products were produced more cheaply
4 of 7

Impact of French Revolution

  • British reactions in the early stages of the Revolution were mixed
  • French King - unpopular with George III, not much sympathy for him
  • Pitt was more concerned with domestic reforms - hoped a new French gov't might co-operate with Britain over trade
  • Opinion among the British political elite hardened against the French Revolution
  • Those organisations sympathetic to events in France began organising themselves
  • The Society of the Friends of the People - 1792, set up by Whig politicians who favoured reform
  • Reform organisations spread to many towns though there was much division and many had different aims
  • More property owners favoured Pitt over Fox
  • British politics had become extremely divided
5 of 7

Radical threat & Pitt's response

  • In the 18th century there was popular unrest and armed threats
  • London - mob activity and rioting
  • There was opposition to a corrupt, unreformed political system
  • Political organisations were growing
  • Economic conditions caused unrest
  • There was support of revolution by political elite
  • The royal family was unpopular
  • Landed gentlemen pressured for the reform of parliament
  • Whig reformers (Fox and Sheridan) wanted to increase influence of the people/reduce influence of the King
  • Pitt favoured some reform of parliament
  • Early radicals inspired by events of French Revolution
  • Organisations led by educated middle-class aristocrats
  • London Corresponding Society campaigned for: restoration of common land, shorter factory hours, lower tax, better healthcare and education
  • Naval mutinies at Nottingham and Spithead
  • No united group so gov't repressive measures could weaken them more easily
  • The government did not have a professional police force to enforce its powers
  • Radicalism was much stronger during economic hardship rather than in peacetime
6 of 7

Whig Opposition

  • Whig opposition was divided
  • French Revolution divided the Whigs even more
  • Whig aristocrats became more worried as the revolution became more radical
  • Fox had a bad reputation
  • The French Revolution revealed the gaps between the Whigs (particularly Fox and the aristocrats)
7 of 7

Comments

Virginia Walker

Report

I would have preferred some more dates and a more useful set of historical knowledge, I felt the information on there was very basic/limited and didn’t necessarily enhance my knowledge. 

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all Modern Britain - 19th century onwards resources »