15th Mar, 2019 10:30 GMT/BST

Books, Maps & Ephemera

 
Lot 67
 

67

Heathfield, Richard Elements of a Plan for the Liquidation of the Public Debt bound with...

Heathfield, Richard
Elements of a Plan for the Liquidation of the Public Debt bound with Further Observations on the Practicability and Expediency of Liquidation the Public Debt and with Addenda to Mr Heathfield's Second Publication on the Liquidation of the Public Debt and with Observations on Trade considered in reference, particularly, to the Public Debt and with Thoughts on the Liquidation of The Public Debt and Observations occasioned by The Motion in the House of Commons on the 26th March, 1833 and with a Speech on the State of Nations delivered...On the Third Reading of the Reform Bill and Argument for the General Relief of the Country from Taxation, and eventually from The Corn Laws and finally On the Cultivation of the Soil of India with Reference to the African Slave Trade (lacking title, unknown author. Various publishers, 1820-39. 8vo, full calf.
A collection of 19th century pamphlets attacking the protectionist policies of the landed government of the time with relation to the national debt. Pitt had repealed income tax in 1816, forcing indirect taxes to bear the burden. This had a disproportionate effect on the poorer classes, who paid to service the debts to the rich owing from government securities (the rich who did not have to pay income tax on the earnings now). Elections still suffered from corruption and outdated boundaries and heavily favoured the landed gentry. Bad harvests in the following years continued to depress wages and increase unemployment, causing further unrest. The actions of a reactionary government did not help. The antipathy towards organised police forced the use of the military (with concomitant incease in violence) and laws continued to repress Reformist organisations. The Corn Laws and Game Laws were just another example of the deliberate skewing of political gain to the same few people. These pamphlets attack this disparity, pushing to put the onus for the debt on property not labour; to repeal the protectionist laws crushing industry and spiking prices; and for a general reform of the system.

Sold for £190
Estimated at £80 - £100


 

. Binding worn, lacking spine, upper joint cracked and board only loosely attached, otherwise mainly clean internally with tight text block.

 


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Auction: Books, Maps & Ephemera, 15th Mar, 2019

Books, Maps & Ephemera

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