Research On English Protectionist Policies In Late Middle Ages

The English protectionist policies in late middle ages mainly refered to these measures which can protect English economy and promote it development. These measures were made by English government from 14 to 15 century. Late medieval England had suffered a series of political and economic changes, which influenced policies decision of English government very strongly. With the continuous development of capitalist industry and commerce and the unceasing increase of national consciousness in England, the policies which were made by English government possessed the characteristics of obvious protection civil economy. Scholars both at home and abroad had not yet carried out a very thorough and systematic research on this issue. This dissertation discussed this issue in a thorough analysis. This dissertation analyzed their causes by the combination of background, sorted out the sequence of English protectionist policies from 14 to 15 century, as well as revealed influences to England with formulation and implementation of these policies.This dissertation is divided into three chapters. The first chapter basically analyzed reasons of protectionist policies. First of all, there is a silver shortage period in Western Europe in late middle ages. This led to the accumulation of gold and silver in the country's political and economic development goals in the mindset of the people. Many countries in Western Europe had pursued the protectionist policies in order to reap the benefits of economic exchanges with other countries and promote national economic development. In this circumstance, English government had also accelerated the pace of the implementation of protectionist policies. Secondly, the foreign businessmen in particular the Italian and Hanseatic merchants had the privilege in England in a long period in the middle ages, which caused English merchants confrontation. English merchants continuously rejected the forces of foreign merchants so as to develop civil and overseas trade very independently. Thus, English merchants asked the government to introduce policies of restriction and attack to foreign merchants by continuously petition to the King. Finally, with the development of economy, English merchants had improved their strength in the late middle ages. At the same times, they strengthened the ties with the rulers. This is conducive government to introduce protectionist policies.The second chapter sorted out the sequence of English protectionist policies in late middle ages very systematically from two aspects of commerce and handicraft. In commerce, the government limited foreign merchants by the tax policies and Hosting of aliens, while the government fostered English merchants through the establishment of the wool staple, supporting venture merchants to build up venture merchants companies, and signing a series of commercial treaties with other countries government. At the same time, the government had adopted policies to foster the country's shipping industry and had implemented the measures of the encouragement of gold and silver imports and the prohibition of gold and silver exports. In handicraft, the government promoted the development of the woolen industry through the tax policies and immigration policies, as well as promoted the development of national handicrafts through control of import and export goods and supervision of goods quality.The third chapter analyzed the influences of protectionist policies. To same extent, Protectionist policies promoted English economic development. Protectionist policies promoted English handicrafts development, so a lot of centers of the textile industry emerged in England. Further, Protectionist policies promoted the development of English capitalism. Protectionist policies enhanced English merchants' competitiveness in business activities and strength of the sea. Protectionist policies let England maintain a considerable amount of money and reserves of gold and silver, as well as promoted early mercantilist development in England. Protectionist policies became the link between English national sentiments and economic issues. Protectionist policies possessed strongly exclusive features. These had an important impact on the development of English nation-state.In short, the emergence of the English protectionist policies in late middle ages had their historical inevitability, resulting from a number of factors together. The English protectionist policies in late middle ages had embodied in many economic fields, especially commerce. The English protectionist policies in late middle ages gave a huge driving force to England in development.