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The Treasury: The Evolution of a British Institution

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Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

406 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1970

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Profile Image for Ari.
793 reviews91 followers
April 9, 2015
In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the Exchequer and the Treasury were sleepy departments of middling importance, more devoted to accounting than to policy. This book describes the process by which the Treasury swallowed up the entire British government.

Starting in the 1720s, the Treasury has been run by a board of Commissioners. Under Robert Walpole, the head of that commission, acquired the unofficial nickname "Prime Minister." And with the exception of the 1890s, the First Lords of the Treasury have been running the country ever since.

The Exchequer, which was anciently a sibling body to the Treasury, has not fared so well. Down to the 19th century, the exchequer continued to audit government expenses in latin, with roman numerals. By the end, there were exchequer officials fiddling with tally sticks and parchment while professional clerks from the Bank of England did all the real work. The exchequer was finally put out of its misery in the 1830s. Despite the title, all the real authority of the "Chancellor of the Exchequer" consists of that office being also the Second Lord of the Treasury and responsible for the day-to-day management of that body.
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