Political Instability and Whig Inefficiency in Britain in the Post-Pitt Era

The years from 1806 to 1812 were remarkably unstable in British politics. The beginning of this period saw one of the few occasions during the reigns of George III and his two sons (1760-1837) when the Whigs tried to provide stable government, but the Ministry of All the Talents managed to remain in power only for little more than a year. The special character of the political system, the deaths of two great leaders, the difficulties of fighting the war against France, personal rivalries, divisive political issues and George III's illness all combined to make this era utterly unstable. This article seeks to explain the reasons for the ineffectiveness of the Whig-dominated administration and discusses the factors that contributed to the failure of the Tory governments up to 1812.