Why did Daniel Defoe work for both Tory and Whig governments?

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Daniel Defoe Daniel Defoe, engraving by M. Van der Gucht, after a portrait by J. Taverner, first half of the 18th century.

Daniel Defoe’s work for both Tory and Whig governments was primarily a matter of political survival and professional necessity rather than shifting ideological loyalty.

Following his 1703 imprisonment for the satirical pamphlet The Shortest-Way With The Dissenters, Defoe faced financial ruin and the collapse of his business. He appealed to Robert Harley, a prominent politician who secured his release in exchange for Defoe’s services as a pamphleteer and intelligence agent.1

Under Harley’s direction, Defoe served as a government operative, traveling extensively and reporting on public opinion, particularly regarding the Act of Union. His periodical, the Review, functioned as a primary government organ that generally aligned with the moderate Tory line, though Defoe occasionally maintained an independent stance. Throughout his career, Defoe navigated these complex political waters to support his family and maintain his livelihood, later documenting his own justifications for these actions in An Appeal to Honour and Justice.1