John Stuart Mill was well aware of the contingent nature of economic institutions. Although governments could legislate to promote, regulate or restrict trade and exchange, their capacity to direct economic activity was constrained ‘by the various modes of conduct which society may think fit to adopt’. Legislators could enact statutes, but they had control of only a small number of indirect levers with which to influence economic behaviour. Military might – which Britain possessed in abundance throughout Victoria's reign – supported imperial ambition, both economic and political, but had little impact on domestic economic governance. The tax system did not come into contact with the vast majority of domestic economic activity, focusing instead on a limited range of customs, excise and property imposts.