Robert Walpole

Robert Walpole, often referred to as the first “de facto” Prime Minister of Great Britain, served as the head of…

By Staff , in Prime Ministers , at August 23, 2024 Tags: 1721, prime minister, united kingdom

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Robert Walpole, often referred to as the first “de facto” Prime Minister of Great Britain, served as the head of the British government for over two decades, from 1721 to 1742. His tenure is notable for establishing many of the principles and practices of the modern British parliamentary system. Walpole was a key figure in the Whig Party and played a central role in stabilizing the country after the tumultuous early years of the 18th century.

Early Life and Political Rise
Birth and Background:
Robert Walpole was born on August 26, 1676, in Houghton, Norfolk, England. He was the third son of Colonel Robert Walpole, a wealthy landowner and Whig politician, and Mary Burwell. Walpole was educated at Eton College and then went on to King’s College, Cambridge.
Early Political Career:
Walpole entered Parliament in 1701 as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Castle Rising, a pocket borough in Norfolk. He was a strong supporter of the Whig Party, which was generally aligned with constitutional monarchy, commercial interests, and religious toleration.
He quickly gained a reputation as an effective and persuasive speaker. His abilities as a politician were recognized early on, and he was appointed to various government positions, including Secretary at War (1708) and Treasurer of the Navy (1710).

Impeachment and Brief Fall:
In 1712, during the Tory administration of Robert Harley, Walpole was impeached on charges of corruption related to his management of government contracts and was briefly imprisoned in the Tower of London. He was expelled from Parliament but soon returned to political life, becoming the leading figure of the Whig opposition.

Leadership and the First Prime Minister
Return to Power:
After the accession of King George I in 1714, a staunch supporter of the Whigs, Walpole was appointed First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1715. However, factional disputes within the Whig Party led to his temporary resignation in 1717.
The South Sea Bubble and Consolidation of Power:
Walpole returned to government in 1720 after the financial crisis known as the South Sea Bubble, in which many investors, including members of Parliament, lost vast sums of money. Walpole was appointed to manage the crisis and successfully restored confidence in the government by restructuring the national debt and compensating some of the losses.
In 1721, Walpole became First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Leader of the House of Commons, effectively placing him in control of the government. It is from this point that historians generally regard Walpole as the first Prime Minister, even though the title did not officially exist at the time.
Policies and Governance:
Walpole’s tenure was marked by efforts to maintain peace and stability in Britain. He pursued a policy of avoiding war, believing that peace was essential for economic prosperity and political stability. This approach was largely successful, and his government kept Britain out of major European conflicts during his time in office.
Domestically, Walpole’s administration focused on economic growth, reducing the national debt, and strengthening the financial system. He also worked to maintain the supremacy of the Whig Party by building a strong network of political support through patronage and alliances.
Walpole is often credited with developing the modern cabinet system, where the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, along with his ministers, effectively controls the executive functions of government.

Decline and Resignation
Growing Opposition:
Despite his successes, Walpole faced increasing opposition over time. His policies, particularly his reluctance to engage in foreign wars and his use of patronage to maintain power, drew criticism from both Tories and disaffected Whigs.
His influence began to wane in the late 1730s, particularly after the War of Jenkins’ Ear (1739) and the wider War of the Austrian Succession (1740), which he had tried to avoid but was eventually drawn into. These conflicts weakened his position, and his handling of them was widely criticized.
Resignation:
In 1742, after a long and contentious parliamentary session in which he faced multiple defeats, Walpole resigned as First Lord of the Treasury. He was elevated to the peerage as Earl of Orford, but his political career effectively ended with his resignation.
Legacy:
Walpole’s resignation marked the end of one of the longest and most influential political careers in British history. He is often regarded as the first Prime Minister in the modern sense, as he established many of the precedents that define the office today.
His tenure set the stage for the development of the British parliamentary system, where the Prime Minister leads the government, the cabinet operates collectively, and Parliament holds significant power over the executive.

Later Life and Death
After his resignation, Walpole retired to his estate at Houghton Hall in Norfolk, where he lived quietly until his death on March 18, 1745. He continued to exert some influence behind the scenes, but he largely withdrew from public life.