The Albany Plan of Union

[Faeelin]

This has always been a favorite what if of mine.
In 1754, the members of the northern British north american colonies met in Albany to discuss forming a military and regulating commerce; i.e., a greater colonial legislature. This didn't happen, because the British realized that it would result in the colonists being ready for a revolution.

Now suppose Clive's defeated in India in 1751. The british have to increase commitment there, at the expense of the North American colonies. They therefore encourage the plan, resulting in the north american colonies to unite. Almost no british troops are seen in north america, aside from a few to train and whatnot. So this super colony (we'll call it the american union) manages to take french territory in canada, break the native tribes, and then continues expansion westward. They put down pontiac by themselves, and Britain wins the 7 years war rather handily.
So what happens now? The British can't say they're taxing the colonists in exchange for protection, bceause they did all the fighting. England's not as heavily in debt, so taxes are less likely. Will the AU and UK dominate the world in the 19th century? Will the AU industrialize? Will the southern colonies secede in 1830 when Britain frees the slaves?

 

[viper37]

Originally posted by Faeelin
This has always been a favorite what if of mine.
In 1754, the members of the northern British north american colonies met in Albany to discuss forming a military and regulating commerce; i.e., a greater colonial legislature. This didn't happen, because the British realized that it would result in the colonists being ready for a revolution.

Now suppose Clive's defeated in India in 1751. The british have to increase commitment there, at the expense of the North American colonies. They therefore encourage the plan, resulting in the north american colonies to unite. Almost no british troops are seen in north america, aside from a few to train and whatnot. So this super colony (we'll call it the american union) manages to take french territory in canada, break the native tribes, and then continues expansion westward. They put down pontiac by themselves, and Britain wins the 7 years war rather handily.
So what happens now? The British can't say they're taxing the colonists in exchange for protection, bceause they did all the fighting. England's not as heavily in debt, so taxes are less likely. Will the AU and UK dominate the world in the 19th century? Will the AU industrialize? Will the southern colonies secede in 1830 when Britain frees the slaves?

I fail to see how the colonies would overcome the French by themselves, but let's play the game (you have to remember that by 1754, the French already had forts along the Ohio valley, and were already reminding the americans they had no business there)

I think over time, they would have ask more autonomy and be granted independance, in a way similar to Canada. But the UK, with the AU as a "vassal state" (sort of) would have been far more powerful than they were, that's for sure. And had the AU been part of UK, the slaves wouldn't had been freed in 1830. Eventually it would have come to this, but not that sooner. In 1830, Britain was still recovering from the Napoleonic wars so they would have been unlikely to put forward measures that would have led to open rebellion (they're not that stupid you know! ).

When Britain would have felt a majority of their colonies and their inhabitants (always a measure of how many people) were in favor of abolishing slavery, they would have acted, not before.