The Burkes' "An account oft the European settlements in America"

The political and economical management of early modern European states led to new discussions on how liberty and empire could be combined through accommodating trade in new ways. The Burkes' pieces give an example of such a discussion. They tried to change the attitude to empire of those who boasted proudly of the liberal constitution at home, and claimed to be a people commercial, protestant and free, when in truth the colonies were governed by almost unbearably high taxes and oppressive policies.