Anti-Corn Law Flashcards
Causes
During the war with France, Britain banned cheap French wheat used to make flower for bread
Without any competition, British farmers got a high price for the wheat that they grew
When the war ended, many politicians wanted to keep big profits from wheat prices.
Methods
The Corn Laws were passed in 1815 and they controlled the price of wheat. If the price of wheat fell too low, they would stop importing wheat, to limit the supply. This policy made bread expensive just to benefit the landowners, meaning it harmed the poor.
The Anti Corn Law League was set up. Its leaders were Richard Cobden and John Bright. They toured the country, giving speeches to spread support for the League, they made pamphlets and published articles in the newspapers, they used the railways to travel around the country and sent pamphlets by the Penny Post. Both men became MPs and gained the support of the PM.
In 1845 there was a potato failure (disease that killed the crop) in Ireland. In Ireland, the potato was a staple food. Ireland suffered a famine, which killed 1 million people, due to death and emigration. Ireland’s population fell by 25%. Wheat could not be brought into Ireland because of the Corn Laws, given there were also crop failures in England, something had to be done to ease the supply of wheat. Robert Peel, the Prime Minister repealed the Corn Laws in 1846.
This was one of the first times that the government acted in the interests of the poor over the landowning gentry. In 1846 Conservative Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel sacrificed his political career to repeal the Corn Laws.
Outcomes
Long Term: people are gaining more influence over the gentry
People had more income and could buy expensive goods such as meat
Short Term: Peel resigned as PM
Farmers and landowners did well after the Corn Laws were repealed
