Wolsey's Domestic Policies

Problems before Wolsey

• Verdicts favoured those who had the most money and influence

Solution to the problem

• Set a clear signal that no one was to be about the law
• increased the court's work rate
• oversaw many cases in person
• made the reasons for his decisions public 
• supported the poor against the rich
• encouraged the poor

Consequences or the solution (positive and negative)

• still criticised - some believed his main intention was to get revenge on the upper classes.
• strengthened the legal system

Problems before Wolsey

• lead to farmers being forced off theirland and the removal of the common areas where villagers could graze their animals

Solution to the problem

• 260 court cases being brought against landowners

Consequences of the solution (positive and negative)

• angry land owners in parliament forced Wolsey to call a halt to any further investigations into enclosed land

Problems before Wolsey

• Henry wanted to follow an aggressive foreign policy to prove himself to be the greatest king in Europe - this was expensive.
• Henry's average salary was not enough to win wars abroad.
• Wolsey had to create a solution and he soon realised that the exiting system of direct taxation was no longer working.

Solution to the problem

• improve the system of direct taxation with subsidy.
• the greater a person's income, the bigger the pay

Consequences of the solution (positive and negative)

• rich paid the most tax
• made use of pre-existing methods of raising money
• heavy rates of taxation made him very unpopular 
• abused his power to get revenge on the rich

Problems before Wolsey

• Henry's palaces were dirty
• bad behaviour was common and money was spent without thought

Solution to the problem

• Wolsey drew up a detailed list of rules
  • servants who were sick or not needed were laid off
  • expenses were cut
  • meals were set at certain times
  • dogs were banned
  • Kings Privy Chamber, the members were cut from 12 to 6 people

Consequences to the solution

• save money
• lost interest in applying other domestic measures