What was the impact of the repeal of the Corn Laws?
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• The concern about the damaging impact it might have had may have acted to make farmers look at their methods and management to compensate for possible damage.
• Wheat prices did drop briefly between 1848 and 1852, but not enough to seriously concern even those against repeal, as it was an asset to have food prices drop at a time of social unrest.
• The world prices of wheat rose to British levels in the few years after repeal.
• Other agricultural prices rose, some quite rapidly, which more than compensated the farmer for the slight fall in wheat prices.
• The size of the landed interest in the House of Commons fell slightly, but still about 50% of its members in 1868 were directly involved in the management of farming land.
• Any legislation that may have directly or indirectly helped farmers (e.g. cheap gov loans for improvement, or compensation for the arrival of the railway) had an easy passage in parliament, both in the Commons and the Lords.
• There was gradual decline in the power of the landed interest.
• The protectionists’ case vanished easily, and Disraeli was aware that his backbenchers hadn’t been reduced to poverty when the Conservatives abandoned protection in 1852.
• There was not yet the means of transportation to ship the cheaper American wheat to Britain and the Crimean War was later to hold up Russian supplies as well.

Other Notes in this Category

1. How important were the railways to Great Britain?
2. To what extent was this a boom time for British agriculture?
3. To what extent was this a period of industrial boom?
4. What was the impact of the repeal of the Corn Laws?
5. What were the main developments in agriculture during this period?
6. What were the main weaknesses in British agriculture during this period?
7. Why was this such a period of growth for British industry?

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