Regency Events: Corn Laws (1815)

If you have read a lot of Regency romance, its highly probable you have run into a character mentioning the Corn Laws. But what were they?

In 1815, following the Napoleonic Wars, Parliament passed the first of the Corn Laws (1815-1846) which imposed tariffs on imported grain. The intent was to heavily tax foreign grain imports to protect British landowners and farmers from foreign competition, keeping grain prices high in an effort to bring the costs of national products down. The goal was to reach 80 shillings per quarter of wheat, 50 shillings for rye, and 40 shillings for barley in Britain before lowering the important tariffs. At a later date, harsh import duties would also be implemented to restrict buying imported products. It was a Conservative agenda that represented British mercantilism, and was ultimately defeated by a Conservative Prime Minister with the support of the Whigs.

It happened that in the years after the Napoleonic Wars, Britain faced a series of poor harvests that increased the price of bread and labourers subsequently saw wages reduced. The impact was that the working classes saw living expenses increase dramatically, having to spend more of their income on food than ever before. This was devastating to a population that largely relied on cereal grains as part of their diet, to avoid starvation (The Brutal Corn Laws: Understand Its Historical Significance).

In 1816, a failing harvest (in large part due to the Year Without Summer) saw another spike in prices and riots began to break out (Corn Laws 1815–46: Impact, Crisis & Why They Were Repealed | HistoryExtra). Bread riots in 1816 and 1817 were often called “Bread or Blood” riots, where places like East Anglia would see masses come together demanding higher wages, lower food prices, and ultimately clashing with authorities and causing property destruction (Agriculture and Politics in England, 1815-1939. (2000). United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan UK.).

The concept of regulating imports and trade were not new, being traced back to the 15th century, but the rapid rise in population and urbanization meant regulation was much more controversial because of the real impact on both working class. With the Great Famine in Ireland in 1845 and 1846, food supplies took a treacherous fall causing Prime Minister Robert Peel to call for repeal of the Corn Laws. There was a significant debate, opposition coming from Benjamin Disraeli and Lord George Bentinck, and despite a tight vote, with the help of the Duke of Wellington the Importation Act of 1846 passed. Peel would resign as Prime Minister despite the success in repealing the Corn Laws. There are some economist scholars that believe the repeal marked a shift toward free trade in Britain, and also was a shift towards more distributive wealth; the repeal caused income losses for the top 10%, while the bottom 90% of income earners benefitted.

There are a wealth of tomes penned about the Corn Laws during the Regency era for those wanting to take a deep dive into the politics, the Anti-Corn Law advocates and organizers like the Anti-Corn Law League, and the arguments on both sides. A modern understanding of the Corn Laws were as a protectionist measure based on some successes with early versions in the 17th century. Yet the world during the Regency era was different, and MPs had to be escorted by armed guards. The Corn Laws would fracture the Conservative Party, leaving a legacy of Whigs in power and the creation of the Liberal Party.