Why did English Whigs support a revival of Palladian architecture during the Georgian period?

During the Georgian period, the Whig aristocracy supported a revival of Palladianism primarily as a reaction against the extravagant and monumental Baroque style favored by the preceding Stuart monarchs.12

The Whigs viewed the Baroque style as being of questionable taste and sought to reform British architecture by returning to a more rational, orderly, and less complicated aesthetic. By embracing the principles of Andrea Palladio—which emphasized clarity, symmetry, and classical restraint—the Whigs aimed to promote good taste and decorum in Britain.123

This movement was further fueled by the publication of influential texts, such as the English translation of Palladio’s Four Books of Architecture and Colen Campbell’s Vitruvius Britannicus. Prominent figures like the Earl of Burlington used their wealth, political influence, and collections of architectural drawings to ensure that these Palladian ideals were implemented in significant buildings across the country, contributing to the orderly development of expanding cities.13