Yeah, but which is more important: jump-starting the industrial revolution, or being a key element in a bunch of slapfights between European imperialists?
The slapfights.
Yeah, but which is more important: jump-starting the industrial revolution, or being a key element in a bunch of slapfights between European imperialists?
Yeah, it's possible, even probable that the industrial revolution could've started somewhere else in Britain. But it didn't. It started in Manchester. In the proverbial "sooner or later," Manchester was the sooner.Without the finance provided by the City of London, directly or indirectly, the Industrial Revolution would never have got off the ground. Britain's financial and commercial predominance which was largely driven by London and other ports was the reason why the Industrial Revolution took off here first.
OK, but without the financial and commercial power of the City of London the Industrial Revolution wouldn't have happened in Manchester or anywhere else at all.Yeah, it's possible, even probable that the industrial revolution could've started somewhere else in Britain. But it didn't. It started in Manchester. In the proverbial "sooner or later," Manchester was the sooner.
Without the finance provided by the City of London, directly or indirectly, the Industrial Revolution would never have got off the ground. Britain's financial and commercial predominance which was largely driven by London and other ports was the reason why the Industrial Revolution took off here first.
London, Liverpool was Britain's first city.
Part of the reason why we had such policies was because of the commercial and political power of the City of London - of 18th century Britain it could be said that we had a 'financial-military' complex.Not sure about this. Plenty other wealthy trading ports in northern Europe. It was surely a requisite but not sufficient on its own: I'd put a representative, limited government, a centralised administration, the lack of internal tariffs, and the relevant mineral deposits as just as, or more, important. (Plus not having a land neighbour with a large, aggressive neighbour.)