“A relation, or Rather a True Account of the Island of England” is an account by a Venetian ambassador who travelled to the realm to negotiate a treaty between the English and Italian states, who at this time were uniting against the French. The findings would be presented by the ambassador to the senate upon his return from the mission(v), and would be used to determine policy, and measure strengths and weaknesses of the newly formed treaty. The author, who remains unnamed to history, perceives the region as an economic powerhouse of Europe, with a geographic separation that vastly benefits trade, military, and economic ventures. The author, who remains unnamed to history, is quick to identify what he thinks strengths and weaknesses within
…show more content…
He sees in England a kingdom and people that are vastly different from his own, that benefit from numerous government policies that serve to protect capital interests within the realm, and maintain its high standard within Europe. In his view, the people of England are a proud folk, whose isolation has shaped a system in which the people tend toward mercantilist pursuits and self interest, most often at the cost of a strong centralized government.
The account of the island of England begins with a description of the physical size and shape of the island, and its position in the ocean relative to the main body of Europe. These opening details touche on two important topics, the Venetian identifies the strengths that are often associated with an isolated body. Logistically England would be harder to invade, and its need to rely solely on naval trade routes mean taxation of goods could more easily be controlled, moving both in and out of the kingdom. When attempting to describe the precise size of the island, he describes how “the …show more content…
These strategies were designed to maximize the benefit of England’s geographic isolation and their abundance of tin, silver, and wool. Policy formed by the government is a good way of determining the objectives higher level officials sought for the realm, as well as drastically shaping pursuits of the citizenry within the kingdom. First and foremost, the relation describes extensively a system designed to place England as a net exporter. Agricultural practices in realm created a system that “with the exception of wine, they import nothing abroad for their sustenance” (28). This meant they could act freely within the trade market, as they could always ensure domestic production was enough to feed Englishmen. Superior resources like tin and wool developed as staples of the English economy, as they demand high market prices based on their “high reputation throughout Europe” (28). The geography of the island meant that trade could be carefully regulated between England and the main body of Europe. Taxes and tariffs could easily be imposed on goods flowing in and out of England 's busy harbours, and government policy sought to protect these vital resources. Wool moving between England and Europe would be a assessed a duty of one third its value, to ensure the raw material wasn’t exported, and domestic
He sees in England a kingdom and people that are vastly different from his own, that benefit from numerous government policies that serve to protect capital interests within the realm, and maintain its high standard within Europe. In his view, the people of England are a proud folk, whose isolation has shaped a system in which the people tend toward mercantilist pursuits and self interest, most often at the cost of a strong centralized government.
The account of the island of England begins with a description of the physical size and shape of the island, and its position in the ocean relative to the main body of Europe. These opening details touche on two important topics, the Venetian identifies the strengths that are often associated with an isolated body. Logistically England would be harder to invade, and its need to rely solely on naval trade routes mean taxation of goods could more easily be controlled, moving both in and out of the kingdom. When attempting to describe the precise size of the island, he describes how “the …show more content…
These strategies were designed to maximize the benefit of England’s geographic isolation and their abundance of tin, silver, and wool. Policy formed by the government is a good way of determining the objectives higher level officials sought for the realm, as well as drastically shaping pursuits of the citizenry within the kingdom. First and foremost, the relation describes extensively a system designed to place England as a net exporter. Agricultural practices in realm created a system that “with the exception of wine, they import nothing abroad for their sustenance” (28). This meant they could act freely within the trade market, as they could always ensure domestic production was enough to feed Englishmen. Superior resources like tin and wool developed as staples of the English economy, as they demand high market prices based on their “high reputation throughout Europe” (28). The geography of the island meant that trade could be carefully regulated between England and the main body of Europe. Taxes and tariffs could easily be imposed on goods flowing in and out of England 's busy harbours, and government policy sought to protect these vital resources. Wool moving between England and Europe would be a assessed a duty of one third its value, to ensure the raw material wasn’t exported, and domestic