British "corn Laws" The Abolition Of Its Social Roots

Corn Laws of English are the regulations which attempt to control the cereals' trade for protecting the interest of producers when cereals (mainly wheat, barley, rye and oats) are plentiful and cheap. After Napoleon War, Nobles and Landowners' interest was suffered for the low price in domestic market. So they wanted to maintain the high price of corn through forbidding importation of corn. This behavior was not only against the mainstream ideas of Middle Class but also bring loss of interest and politic repression to Middle Class. It caused opposition of Middle Class. At the same time, worker included agriculture worker and industrial worker's life were very hard for high price of corn. Working Class also strongly opposed Corn Laws. Middle Class and Working Class began to fight for their interest. Although Middle Class became a member of ruling class after Parliament Reform, Corn Laws still control the importation of corn, free trade that Middle Class expected to carry out still can not became true. Anti-Corn Law League was established and their activities became the declaration that Middle Class demand deepen reform of England society. Because Working Class was young and immature, they followed the Middle Class in opposing Corn Laws, at last Working Class were betrayed. After practice, Working Class grow rapidly, Trade Union appeared and Chartism started were expressed determination of opposing Corn Laws. Under the great effort of Middle Class and Working Class, Nobles and Landowners had to compromise, Corn Laws were repealed. Since then England entered the new age of free trade. This essay tries to analyze the contradiction among three Classes, find the significance of activities of opposing Corn Laws for Middle Class and Working Class and understand the reason why Middle Class believe free trade as their Holy Bible, so as to dig out the social reasons of repealing Corn Laws from the transform of social structure and the extend of new ideology.