War, Wine, and Taxes: The Political Economy of Anglo-French Trade, 1689–1900

During and after the industrial revolution, John Nye's book War, Wine, and Taxes debunks the myth that Britain was a free-trade nation by revealing how the British used tariffs on French wine as a mercantilist tool to politically weaken France and respond to pressure from local brewers. It also shows how Britain and France negotiated the critical trade treaty of 1860 that opened European markets before World War I.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 10 January 2023
Publisher: Princeton University Press

In his groundbreaking book, War, Wine, and Taxes, John Nye challenges the widely held belief that Britain was a free-trade nation during and after the industrial revolution. Through meticulous research and analysis, Nye reveals how the British government employed tariffs, particularly on French wine, as a strategic tool to undermine France's economic strength and respond to the demands of local brewers and other stakeholders. The book dispels the myth that Britain's transition from a mercantilist state in the eighteenth century to a bastion of free trade in the late nineteenth century was a smooth and seamless process. Instead, Nye offers a compelling revisionist account that sheds light on Britain's rise from a minor power to the dominant nation in Europe. He also delves into the intricate negotiations between Britain and France that led to the critical trade treaty of 1860, which opened up European markets in the decades preceding World War I. By tracing the historical roots of Anglo-French military and commercial rivalry back to the seventeenth century, Nye helps us understand why the British preferred beer over wine, why the Portuguese exclusively sold liquor to Britain, and how liberal, eighteenth-century Britain managed to raise taxes at an unprecedented rate, with government revenues growing five times faster than the gross national product. War, Wine, and Taxes stands in sharp contrast to standard interpretations of the role tariffs played in the economic development of Britain and France. It provides a valuable new perspective on the joint role of commercial and fiscal policy in the rise of the modern state. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex interplay between politics, economics, and international relations in the nineteenth century.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691242217