Just some raw fodder for folks tweaking at the economics of the game. The stats here are from John Brewer's The Sinew of Power: War, Money and the English State, 1688-1783. Reads a lot better than it sounds BTW. It is an interesting view of the economics and finances of the most commercial and industrial power represented in EU at the peak of it's early modern prowness. Anyways some things to think on:
Growth of Tax Revenues by Source:
Revenues sources are:
Land Tax (annual tax on property)
Excise Tax (Indirect consumption tax on internally produced goods)
Customs (Duties on imported goods)
1690 (all figures in millions of pounds)
Land Tax: 1250
Excise Tax: 750
Customers Tax: 475
1740(all figures in millions of pounds)
Land Tax: 750
Excise Tax: 2500
Customers Tax: 1000
1790 (all figures in millions of pounds)
Land Tax: 2250
Excise Tax: 6750
Customers Tax: 3500
You see the tremdous growth of internal consumption from the growth of the excise taxes really outstripped the importance of the external trade factors.
During this period military spending expenditures (during war) consumed from 61% to 74% of total government revenue and 10-15% of total national income. This figure is instructive of maintenance costs.
The size of the forces deployed by the English:
1689
Navy: 40262 men (actual roster of sailors and marines this is true of all figures)
Army: 76404 men (authorized by Parlimanet but not necessarily in service, this is true of all figures)
1740
Navy: 50313 men
Army: 62373 men
1784
Navy: 82022 men
Army: 108484
Oh well, just thought they might be interesting.
Growth of Tax Revenues by Source:
Revenues sources are:
Land Tax (annual tax on property)
Excise Tax (Indirect consumption tax on internally produced goods)
Customs (Duties on imported goods)
1690 (all figures in millions of pounds)
Land Tax: 1250
Excise Tax: 750
Customers Tax: 475
1740(all figures in millions of pounds)
Land Tax: 750
Excise Tax: 2500
Customers Tax: 1000
1790 (all figures in millions of pounds)
Land Tax: 2250
Excise Tax: 6750
Customers Tax: 3500
You see the tremdous growth of internal consumption from the growth of the excise taxes really outstripped the importance of the external trade factors.
During this period military spending expenditures (during war) consumed from 61% to 74% of total government revenue and 10-15% of total national income. This figure is instructive of maintenance costs.
The size of the forces deployed by the English:
1689
Navy: 40262 men (actual roster of sailors and marines this is true of all figures)
Army: 76404 men (authorized by Parlimanet but not necessarily in service, this is true of all figures)
1740
Navy: 50313 men
Army: 62373 men
1784
Navy: 82022 men
Army: 108484
Oh well, just thought they might be interesting.