Finance & economics | The Corn Laws at 175

An anniversary for free traders

How the Victorians fought for cheap food

ABOUT HALF of most British people’s income in the 1830s and 1840s was spent on food. Hunger was commonplace, occasionally sparking riots. Contributing to the high cost were tariffs on imported grain, called the Corn Laws, which soared as high as 80%. The system enriched aristocratic landowners when most Britons were not allowed to serve in Parliament or vote.

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “The appeal of Peel and repeal”

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