▁of ▁state ▁and ▁emp ire ▁delayed ▁the ▁emer gence ▁of ▁a ▁unit ary ▁imperial ▁ide ology . ▁However ▁political ▁econom ists ▁Nicholas ▁Bar bon ▁and ▁Charles ▁D aven ant ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 7 th ▁century ▁emphas ized ▁the ▁significance ▁of ▁commerce , ▁especially ▁merc ant il ism ▁or ▁commerce ▁that ▁was ▁closed ▁to ▁out s iders , ▁to ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁state . ▁They ▁argued ▁that ▁" tra de ▁dep ended ▁on ▁liberty , ▁and ▁that ▁liberty ▁could ▁therefore ▁be ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁emp ire ". ▁To ▁overcome ▁compet ing ▁versions ▁of ▁" emp ires ▁of ▁the ▁se as " ▁within ▁Britain , ▁Parliament ▁under to ok ▁the ▁reg ulation ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁economy , ▁the ▁Act s ▁of ▁Union ▁ 1 7 0 7 ▁and ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁unit ary ▁and ▁organ ic ▁" B rit ish " ▁emp ire ▁of ▁the ▁sea . ▁Wal pole ' s ▁oppon ents ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 3 0 s ▁in ▁the ▁" country ▁party " ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁colon ies ▁developed ▁an ▁alternative ▁vision ▁of ▁emp ire ▁that ▁would ▁be ▁" Pro test ant , ▁commercial , ▁mar itime ▁and ▁free ". ▁Wal pole ▁did ▁not ▁ensure ▁the ▁promised ▁" li ber ty " ▁to ▁the ▁colon ies ▁because ▁he ▁was ▁intent ▁on ▁sub ordin ating ▁all ▁colonial ▁economic ▁activity ▁to ▁the ▁merc ant il ist ▁advantages ▁of ▁the ▁metropol is . ▁Anti - imper ial ▁crit iques ▁emer ged ▁from ▁Francis ▁H ut ches on ▁and ▁David