The National Debt (thread 17), Episode 2: When Britain Bought an Empire: Pitt, Debt, and the Seven Years' War

Imagine borrowing a mountain of money to win a global war and then showing up with Canada and a huge bill. That’s exactly what William Pitt did: he turned British credit into cannon fire, bankrolling victories from Quebec to India while leaving the tab for future taxpayers.

It worked brilliantly — Britain became the world’s top power — but it also planted the seeds of a huge political fight when London tried to make the American colonies help pay for their own defense. In short: genius strategy, messy consequences.