Zinn's People's History has moved into the beginings of the American Revolution. This is an interesting speculation. The wealthy landowners, Washington, Madison, Jefferson, etc., favored the revolution because it would only make them richer. Kicking the British out would give them clear title to their plantations, the King had title above them and technically could have kicked them out, although it would have taken a lot of force. By kicking out the Brits the wealthy landowners secured their claims to the land and made themselves a lot richer. The trick then is to convert all the newly emerging middle class and the poor (but technically free) to the cause. Was all the talk of unfair taxation and other transgressions simply a way to get the large underclasses on the side of the rich elite? Hmmmmm... thats food for thought.