The British failed to understand the desire for a more representative democracy and freedom.
Explanation:
The British at the time of the revolutionary war was a very class structured society. The common people were expected to follow the lead of the elite political leadership without much complaint.
The House of Lords made laws for the people and only the elite could be members of the House of Lords.
The House of Commons were elected by the people and had some control over the taxes. The pattern of the common people having representations in the House of Commons was important to the colonist. The people in different colonies set up legislative bodies where their interest could be represented such as the House of Burges in Virginia.
England felt that the colonies needed to repay England for the cost of the French and Indian wars. The taxes were felt by England to be fair but were resented by the Colonist. England did not respect the Colonist regarding them as a lower class socially. So England expected the people in America to submit to the rule of the elite like the common people in England.
The people in America having experience freedom to run their own colonies were not willing to submit to the rule of the elite from England. This desire for freedom fostered by the Great Awakening and the philosophers of the French Enlightenment. was not understood by the leaders of England.
The British felt that a display of force would cause the "rabble " of the Americans to quickly submit to British authority. The determination of the Americans to keep fighting for freedom for 8 long years was a shock to the British elite.
The British had completely misjudged the deep seeded desire for freedom that had sprung up in America.
