Stamp Act not repealed

So what if the British parliament had not backed down to the opposition to the Stamp Act of 1765. Would this have lead to an earlier confrontation between Britain and it's North American colonies? How would this effect the next crisis with Corsica in 1768?
 
Long Live King Frederic

You could look at it two ways:

1) The British government takes the path of OTL, but perhaps without "giving in", they are less likely to pass (or at least wait for a time) heavier burdens on the colonials. Such as the Sugar Tax and the Intolerable Acts

2) Encouraged by their success, they pass more taxes (even ones not seen OTL) all the faster. Though not the Boston Port Bill

My money's on 2

Its not like Britain had a good history with running its colonies during the age of mercantilism. And the many complaints made in AH.com about the fewer taxes faced by colonials as well as higher standard of living enjoyed by America's working class over Britain's ignores:

a) the colonies' legally mandated lack of industry

b) the lack of large numbers of men of property ($$$) in the colonies compared to Britain

c) the colonies' lack of any Free Trade

d) the mercantile system resulting in an enormous trade imbalance creating an economic depression in the colonies

e) dis-establishing the colonial assemblies, which had been running their own affairs almost since their founding

f) sudden enforcement of the anti-smuggling laws, whose deliberate turning a blind eye to was until 1763 supported even by London as a means of promoting trade in the West Indies, Britain, and the colonies and building up the economies of all three

g) the emplacement of British troops in the colonial coastal cities, whose purpose could only be directed against the colonialists themselves

h) the Quebec Act, which gave the impression that London was rewarding the French and Natives for fighting the Anglo-Americans while punishing the American colonials for their loyalty to the crown:(

i) the anti-reformist attitudes of the 1763-1781 Tory Party, whether in government or out

j) the development of the "King's Friends" faction, which led to the establishment of a more powerful (and wrong-headed) British monarchy than would ever be seen again in Britain

Without reform, little of which was seen until the arrival of the Wellington Government, and the later Great Reform Acts of 1832 & 1867, there's little to be done

One possible POD: Frederic survives, and he is crowned as King instead of George. An easy POD, as his death was so stupidly caused. A cricket ball struck on the temple of his skull. Its difficult to tell how Frederic would have done, but compared to his younger brother, he could hardly have been as bad, much less worse.:rolleyes:
 
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