AHQ: Britain's Debts with a failed American Revolution

[GameBawesome]

One of the causes of the American Revolution was the massive taxation on import goods, such as tea, molasses, sugar and even paper items, that coupled with Britain interfering in their American colonies more and halting American expansion further west.

However, where did these taxes come from? Well, it came to due to winning the Seven Years War. After acquiring all of France's North American holdings in Canada, and domination India that would eventually lead to the British Raj, the British thought it was as a victory. However, by 1763, the national debt of Britain stood between 122 - 132.6 million pounds. This caused Britain to not only decrease military budget, cracked down on smuggling, but also taxes not just in Britain but also the Colonies, which would lead to the American Revolution.

Here's a Hypothetical question, with a failed American Revolution and therefore no American independence, how are Britain's debts effected? I'll admit, the reason I'm asking this is because I'm not really into financial history and don't know that much about the financial period besides the basics.

 

[edgeworthy]

What Massive Taxation?

 

[Andristan]

If I recall correctly, the UK paid off their Napoleonic debt around. . . 1925 or so, so that would put their 7 yrs war debt paid off, if at all, possibly a lot of debtors got the axe during the revolutionary turmoil, around 1890s or so. If no independent American colonies, then maybe faster repayment so to be around 1820s, but does how does the revolution fail and when? If its in 1776-1777, Britain makes out pretty good, puts down internal rebellion, no huge problems, no major changes for European history, more or less. But if its after the winter of Valley Forge and the entry of France into the war, then thats a big deal. France loses again to Britain, racking up more debt for nothing, maybe pushes the Revolution sooner, starting the Revolutionary wars sooner or not at all, all sorts of things could happen, the HRE might not get involved due to the conflict between Joseph and Frederick over Bavaria, etc

 

[Avrorrange]

What Massive Taxation?

Lol. Yankee leeches were screaming at paying what was essentially a pittance after never paying a pence to the British government.

 

[Memoriam Damnatio]

One of the causes of the American Revolution was the massive taxation on import goods, such as tea, molasses, sugar and even paper items,

The taxation wasn't "massive" and was actually reduced in the intolerable acts. Instead, the acts cracked down on smuggling and provided better enforcement on monopoly's such as the EIC's monopoly on tea.This is why the first few acts of rebellion were mostly confined to New England, especially Boston, as their merchants were the hardest hit by the crackdown on smuggling.

If I recall correctly, the UK paid off their Napoleonic debt around. . . 1925

The UK has a sovereign debt, so paying off the debt in full would take a long time, however OTL Pitt the younger would pay off most of Britain's debt by 1800. So with the added american revenue plus reperations from any other european powers they defeat britain would probably be better off then OTL.

 

[Clandango]

I forget, but didn’t one of the things with tea involve the East Indies Company got needing to pay taxes on tea sent to the colonies, butt hat it was pushed onto local consumers or taxpayers? We also should think about how high taxes were in Britain itself, which was apparently part of why Cornwall smuggled so much, not just for lace and brandy from France, but for the salt needed for their wish, as the tax on salt was astronomically high compared to the the cost of salt without it. Also part of why Benjamin Franklin wrote about his trips to the UK and what high taxes and the prevention of industry had down to so many areas outside of the English heartland.