姓 名: 赵袁超 专 业：英 语 年级、班级：12级3班
学 号：12301077 作业日期：2013.12.8
章 节：Chapter 6 The Contest of Western European Leadership
体例说明：中文字体为宋体，英文为Times New Roman，小四号字，行距1.5倍
Summary
The Contest of Western European Leadership
The contest of Western European leadership include three main countries, they were the Dutch, the France and the England.
The Dutch were not the only republicans in Europe, but of all republics the United Provinces was by far the most wealthy, the most flourishing, and the most important in international diplomacy and culture. And they think they were the most bourgeois of all people. The Dutch rely more on their wealth and diplomacy than on actual fighting, so that during the whole seventeen century they enjoyed a degree of comfort, and of intellectual, artistic, and commercial achievement unexcelled in Europe.
In religion, the Dutch Republic adopted toleration and everyone can find a refuge in the Dutch. The resulting mixture stimulated both the intellectual life and the commercial enterprise of the country.
In economy and policy, They owned most of the shipping of northern Europe. And under their republican government the Dutch enjoyed great freedom. Politics in the Dutch Republic was a seesaw between the burghers, pacifistic and absorbed with business, and the princes of Orange, to whom the country owned most of its military security. And the seven provinces that sent representatives to the Estates General of the United Provinces were all jealous of their own independence.
In diplomacy, In 1651 the revolutionary government then ruling England passed a Navigation Act. It was aimed against the Dutch carrying trade. Due to the Act, The Dutch and English soon entered into a series of three wars from 1652 to 1674. At the same time, the Dutch were menaced on land by the French. Because of these six provinces voted to make the stadholderate hereditary in the house of Orange in 1673. France occupied three of the seven Dutch provinces. Meanwhile, to stave off the immediate menace of Louis XVI, William resorted to a new manipulation of the balance of power. Eventually, The Dutch preserved their territory.
In culture and economy, the English like the Dutch, French, and Spanish at that time, were creating their national culture. And the English were also enterprising and affluent in economy. The great industry was the growing of sheep and manufacture of woolens, which was the main export. But the main wealth of England were still in the land, the landed aristocracy formed the richest class.
In England, there was only one Parliament for the whole country, thus all parliamentary opposition was concentrated n one place. There was only two houses, the House of lords and the House of Commons. And no king could long govern against its will. In 1629 king and Parliament came to a deadlock. Charles I attempted to rule without parliament. He intended to give England a good and efficient government but he failed. Cromwell concluded that Charles I must be put to death and then with the support of the army moved against Parliament.
In 1649, England was now declared a republic. It was named the Commonwealth. Cromwell unable to agree even with the Rump, so he abolished it also in 1653. Actually, he was driven to place England nuder military rule, the regime of the “major generals”. Eventually, Cromwell died in 1685. In 1660, royalty was restored, Charles II, son of the dead Charles I, because king of England and of Scotland.
France was radiant and mighty center, the domain of the Sun King himself. The France of Louis XIV owed much of its ascendancy to the quantity and quality of its people. The dominance of France meant the dominance not merely of power but of a people whom most Europeans viewed as the forefront of seventeen-century civilization.
In policy, this ascendancy of French culture went along with a regime in which political liberties were at a discount. France had an Estates General, and it had developed as courts of law. France was almost as diverse as Germany. There were some 300 “customs” or regional systems of law. In 1661, on Mazarin’s death Louis XIV govern the country himself. With the reign of Louis XIV the state in its modern form took a long steps forward. France has generally stood in a lawless and disorderly relation to other states, he was constantly either at war or prepared for war with his neighbors.
Possibly the most fundamental step taken by Louis XIV was to assure himself of control of the army. He made all the army in France fought only for him, this produced peace and order in France. From the outset of his reign Louis pursued a vigorous foreign policy.
The great winner in the contest of Western European leadership was British, Great British made its appearance as a great power. France also was one of the two most vigorous imperial powers of the European.
