How far do you agree that the Personal Rule in England (1629-1640) was a success in finance but a failure in religion?

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Whilst government debt was reduced by £1 million during this period, the reliance on unsustainable short-term methods of revenue collection which failed to provide a long-term solution to the financial weaknesses of the Crown meant that in regard to finance the Personal Rule was a partial failure. The religious policy pursued during the Personal Rule  not only failed to establish conformity in religious belief among his subjects, which was Charles’ intention, but induced such hatred from large swathes of the Charles’ subject that by 1640 radical puritanism entered mainstream thought of the political nation. As a result, the Personal Rule was a failure in both finance and religion.

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In the short term, the Personal Rule could be considered a success in finance due to the improvement in the government’s financial position during this period, as by the end of the 1630s the Crown was solvent. By 1636 Crown revenue was 25% higher than it was a decade previously, which combined with lower expenditure allowed government debt to be reduced to £1,000,000. This is a substantial achievement, given the precarious position that Charles faced in 1629, with continental wars against France and Spain bearing a major financial burden on the Crown. Peace with France in April 1629 ...

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