Analysis On The Relationship Of The British Government And Merchant In The Early17th Century

During the early17th century, Britain was in a period of change, the relationship between the British government and businessmen had become the most representative characteristics of this period. The traditional view believes that the British businessman is free trade, free from the British Government’s management and shackles. In fact, it is not. With the development of commerce, merchants forces has grow rapidly, due to financial constraints, the British Government had to rely on merchants, businessmen had countless ties with the British government. First, under the influence of ideas of mercantilism, the British government perform mercantilist policies vigorously, encourage overseas trade, protect the merchant rights, promote the further development of the business, prompt a substantial increase of wealth of the businessman, but also brought great wealth for the United Kingdom. At the same time, the British Government took the opportunity to strengthen the commercial areas of infiltration and intervention, but also increase the commercial tax, leading to the merchant discontent with the government. Second, merchants of wealth for their participation in politics economic base, the British Government use the talent and skills of businessmen to serve the state power; businessman participate in politics at the same time, and did not give up the business, resulting in duplication of government officials and businessmen identity; Officials spend hugely, the government can not meet their needs, officials desire for wealth and the nature of merchant profit intertwined inevitably. Traders use their special status for its profit, government officials collusion with businessmen for their own interests, A hotbed for the generation of corruption, money and other corrupt practices everywhere, especially in acts of corruption in the Navy between officials and businessmen. From these cases, we can see that in the early17th century, the relationship between the British Government and the businessman does not like the traditional thought as simple, the evolution of the relationship between the British government and merchants had a profound impact on the prevailing economic, political and social life. To a certain extent, the relationship between the British government and businessmen promote the economic and political development, the problem of corruption has also become a political thought that hinder the economic and political development.