Modern World Civilization
Spring 2009
How do Americans Feel About Revolutions?
When Americans hear the
Bolshevik Exhortation Workers of the World Arise They think its Time for the
coffee break.
In the 1930s, it was common to
hear your great grandparents say, evolution, not revolution.
What does that mean?
But Americans are generally
fearful of revolutions.
Especially of the left-wing
type.
Chalmers Johnson Typology
Jacquerie Spontaneous peasant
uprising carried out under the traditional authority figures, the church and
crown.
Millenarian Rebellion similar
to the first, but driven by feature of a planned utopia.
Anarchistic Rebellion Reaction
to change.
Jacobin Communist Revolution
Occurs in highly centralized states and the target is the government, regime and
society.
Conspiratorial Coup DEtat led
by a small, dedicated elite.
Militarized Mass Insurrection
Common in the 20th Century.
What Causes Revolutions?
Revolutions are an indication
that a society is unstable.
Sometimes, political or
economic, which causes disequilibrium.
But usually government faces an
economic crisis.
Not necessarily the public
crisis.
In some cases you had a rich
or well-off citizenry but an impoverished government.
Which demonstrates a sense of
incompetence.
A Practical Example
Britain ran serious deficits in
order to defeat France in the Seven Years War.
The question was who was going
to pay for the debt?
British citizens or American
colonists?
British colonial policy would
force Britain to enforce parliamentary control.
Enforcing existing colonial
policy.
George III and The Enlightenment
Catherine the Great never fully
applied the principles of the Enlightenment.
Despite Clios decision to make
her an Enlightened Despot.
The same cannot be said for
Farmer George.
Thats George III, King of
England.
He showed no inclination to do
anything with the Enlightenment accept for agriculture.
But he did attempt to reassert
monarchial rights.
The German Connection
In politics, George III
attempted to do a diluted version of enlightened despotism.
He was the first of the
Hanoverian Kings born in England.
And speak English.
He attempted to reassert rights
that his relatives had lost.
In reality he tried to wrestle
control of the House of Commons from the Whigs.
How Did George III Do It?
The old fashion way.
He bribed politicians.
And offered them patronage.
George III The Man
He was virtuous.
He was devoted to his family.
But he was stubborn.
He also had an dietary disorder
that caused temporary insanity at times.
He was very loyal to his
friends.
Such as Lord Bute, his friend
and former tutor.
But had to sacrifice him for not
gaining the French Sugar Islands in 1763.
The Peace of Paris and George IIIs
Enemies
Lord Bute was sacrificed because
England did not gain the Sugar Islands.
Then John Wilkes, a member of
Parliament, called it the Peace of God, for it passeth all understanding.
Wilkes attacked the treaty in his
paper, The North Briton.
Under Royal pressure, the Commons
ordered the issue to be burnt.
Wilkes ran for Parliament three
times, and the Commons refused to sit him.
Wilkes and Liberty
Wilkes finally took his seat in
1774.
Riots ensued.
He would become a hero to the
Americans.
A wise King would have rethought
his plans to manage his cabinet and the Commons.
But not George III.
Finally George III found his
man, Lord North, who served as PM from 1770-1782.
Why is this important?
Start of the Troubles
The issue came to the forefront
at the close of the Seven Years War.
When it came to pay the piper.
To pay the bill for the war.
Which meant an end to the policy
of Salutary Neglect.
Parliament went against their
better interest and try to tax the colonies.
But there was another issue as
well that had to be considered.
Another Issue was the New Territories
Who was now going to control the
new Trans-Appalachian West.
An area gained by Britain
through the Treaty of Paris.
And the Americans wanted land.
How would the Indians/Native
Americans feel?
The British Army had to patrol
the region.
Forcing settlers out.
The Tax Issue
The British government wanted to
share the pain.
Since the national debt doubled
since the war.
The British claimed that the
Americans did not pay their fair share.
Especially in providing troops
and money.
Was it fair that British
taxpayers pay more than the Americans?
The Americans would never agree
to that.
The New British Tax Policies
The first measure was the Sugar
Act of 1764.
The American merchants were
concerned that the British would collect duties on on molasses, sugar and other
items.
The merchants thought this was a
threat to their interests.
As well as the fact that the
Americans had to pay their duties in specie, aka, gold and silver.
The Hot Button Issue
The most serious was the Stamp
Act of 1765, which covered a wide range of documents and items.
The Americans began to boycott
British goods.
Forcing British merchants to
stand up to the politicians and retract the measures.
The Americans even held a Stamp
Act Congress in New York to respond.
The Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress argued
the principal no taxation without representation.
The British caved.
But not on the key issue of
Parliamentary authority.
This was done by the Declaratory
Act, stating that the King and Parliament had the authority to make laws for the
colonies.
The Next Crisis
The Declaratory Act remained in
force for the next ten years.
The British then attempted to
raise revenue via the Townshend Duties.
Which were taxes on tea, paper,
lead, and paint.
Merchants in Philadelphia,
Boston, and New York protested and boycotted British good.
Parliament then withdrew them
except the tax on tea.
The Tea Act
The government of Lord North
left the Tax on tea in 1770.
The merchants saw this as a
threat.
And three years later on Dec.
16, 1773, a group of Bostonians set out to raid one of the ships carrying the
tea.
This was not well received in
London.
The result was the Intolerable
Acts (1774).
The Intolerable Acts
Massachusetts
Government Act Allowed the Crown
to appoint the councilors rather than the legislature.
Quartering Act
Massachusetts
must provide lodging for the troops.
Administration of
Justice Act Protected soldiers
and courts of unruly patriots.
Quebec Act
Extending the border of Quebec to the
Ohio River cutting the claims of New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and
Virginia.
Boston Port Act
Closing the Port of Boston after June 1, 1774.
The March of Folly
Parliament adopted a policy that
ran counter to their national interests.
This contributed to the coming
of the American Revolution.
That was not a smart move for
British merchants.
Plus drawing Britain into a
world war.
This was not evident at first.
But becomes so when France
enters the conflict.
Could the British Really Have Won?
Not really.
The numbers were against them.
But London never really take
that into account.
Is that something we should
consider in the present political climate?
Why did the British have such a
rough time in pacifying America?
Was it even possible?
Implications for the Future
France enters the conflict after
the Battle of Saratoga.
Contributing to the collapse of
the first British Empire.
But it place considerable
economic burdens on France.
Demonstrating the incompetence
of the French government.
Particularly in balancing the
French debt.
Which set the stage for the
French Revolution.