Continetal System

Napoleon responds to British blockade with the Berlin decree
Dmanded closure of all European ports to British trade
Purpose: to hamper Britain's economy, and to increase export trade of France
Napoleon wanted all of Europe to participate in this
From July to November 1807 almost no British trade was done with Europe
Only Sweden continued to trade with Britain
This system created economic and social disturbances in Britain
By August 1808, it looked like the pound would have to be devalued
After the French invasion of Spain (1808), European countries started to violate the blocked trade routes, because their economies were seriously hampered
In 1810, Russia refused to participate in economic blockade
Napoleon violated trade restrictions, by allowing leather and cloth from England to enter France; he needed the goods for his army
The system failed to develop the French economy as much as it was expected to do
The system also failed to seriously damage Britain's economy
Local French industries suffered from a lack of raw materials
From 1805-1813, French exports declined