Rules by which a Great Empire may be Reduced to a Small One

By King Meera -
  • Implications of Title - going to challenge notions, ideas
  • national self and individual self
  • This seemingly "History of America" text fits into a Literature course because of how author approaches the subject
  • presentation not necessarily manipulation
  • power and obfuscation
  1. a celebration - the ability to say something in a nebulous manner - to break it up into many parts
  2. Franklin experimenting with the norm - breaking it down, playing with contradiction
  3. I will not build your empire for you - I will instead show you how to bring it down
  • charter format
  • carpet baggers (later becomes the basis of capitalism) - rejects - reckless, nothing to lose - recycled ministers, officials
  • humor:
- can be liberating, so usually kept out of administration ( imitation, Aristotle's theory but also parody, can't overdo it either) - it is in this moment, then it is over
- there is the choice of not taking it seriously- this is a literary piece not meant to mock charters but to call out colonial ambition.
  • this is a period piece-shows us the contemporary projection of America.
  • territorial aggrandisment
-imperialism(spread of empire)
-expansionism
-colonial project.

Age of Enlightenment      }     Puritanism
                                                  Deism    
Age of Awakening                   Question of church in England

 Voltaire- freedom of speech
Franklin and Newton- scientific thinking
Rousseau- democracy
John Locke- natural rights

 Loyalists Vs Patriots

 Tax: Tea Act, Glass Act, Stamp Act, Revenue Act

SUMMARY

I-- Edges( Provinces)
II-- Separation( never incorporate, common rights, privileges in Commerce, severer laws, no share in choice of legislators)
III--punish provinces that do well
IV--suspicion of peaceful colonies
V-- Give them bad governors
VI-- Delay, expense, judgement in favor of oppressor - complaints of maladministration, oppression and injustice. Governors encouraged to oppress, leading people to desperation and disaffection
VII--when the oppressed get violent call the bad governors back to the centre and reward them with pensions and fancy titles like Baronet
VIII-- reject the benevolence of the colonies with contempt
IX-- They are a new people setting up infrastructure and are thus running low on money. Restraint on colonies' trade - you have advantage of monopoly - centre's tax requirements are met through colonies' commerce - you already accumulate revenue from colonies through taxes and the price of commodities you dump in their markets - poor in the Centre are supported by colonies: forget this debt and levy more taxes. Declare that your power of taxing has no limits.
X-- infinite regulations; laws about commerce impossible to remember and observe. Seizure of property for failure without proper trial. Opposition of edicts is treason. Treason + other offences = felony; ruinously expensive to prove yourself innocent. Statutes.
XI-- Appoint evil board of officers to superintend collection of taxes
XII-- Pay governers with tax taken for justice and defence. 
XIII-- no salaries from provinces - forcing judges and governors to take Salaries from Revenue
XIV-- if provinces continuously elect one governor and/or judge, whenever they have to meet, arrange the meeting in the country village - cannot be accomodated, make it inconvenient for them, keep them there as long as you want to
XV-- Penny's worth of pins
XVI-- blood of Martyrs
XVII-- Let rivals badmouth don't bother- that is your Purpose too
XVIII-- fortress into citadel; invasion therefore disgrace
XIX-- Attack the frontiers and strengthen opinion that you're no longer fit to govern them
XX--- great unconstitutional powers -> set up for himself

 QUICK RECAP FROM BHAVANI MA'AM
Benjamin Franklin 
make one word pointers 
Townshend Act - land owned by natives declared unauthorized
Taxation policy, 1760s tax acts Revenue,Tea Paper
no taxation without representation 
satire written in a prosaic manner: how to build a nation, strengten it step by step, how to proceeded in life -> do exactly the opposite
Cake metaphor -> take care of the periphery
              -> one great flaw, but also how else British Empire will fall
Quarter troops protect you. you are indebted to them
Governers- incapable, useless characters, prodigal sons, looters, pimps, corrupt
Tax -> send to -> salaries of these worthless administrators.
Rebellious - send them away, do not give them justice
This essay TRIGGERED AMERICAN REVOLUTION

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