ABSTRACT
W h e n George I ascended the British throne in 1714 he became the King of a country which had just reached the status of a first-class power. In spite of the great disparity of populations the economic strength and naval resources of England had played a major part in subduing the France of Louis XIV. I f this part had not been quite so large as contemporary Englishmen were inclined to sup pose, at least the negotiation of a separate peace between England and France had been sufficient to force the other allies to come to terms. In spite of the frequent cries of ‘ruin’ raised by the opponents of the war of the Spanish Succession, England had withstood the strain remarkably well. By the beginning of the eighteenth century the foundations of her economic prosperity had already been laid and, though occasional setbacks and years of crisis occurred, never again was her population to be drastically reduced by famine and disease. Indeed, there is no greater proof of her progress during this century than the fact that an increase in national wealth pre vented the pressure of a considerable and rapid growth of popula tion1 from driving down the general standard of living. Compared
with the centuries that had gone before, the eighteenth was one of national well being, and it was upon this foundation that the achievements both at home and overseas were based.
