Tariff Reform League
Encyclopedia
The Tariff Reform League (TRL) was a pressure group formed in 1903 to protest against 'unfair' foreign imports and to advocate Imperial Preference
to protect British industry
from foreign competition. It was well funded and included politicians, intellectuals and businessmen, and was popular with the grassroots of the Conservative Party
. By 1914 it had approximately 250,000 members. It is associated with the national campaign of Joseph Chamberlain
, the most outspoken supporter of Tariff Reform.
The League wanted to see the British Empire
transformed into a single trading bloc, to compete with Germany
and the United States
. It favoured imposing duties on imports—as did Germany and the US—and the channelling of the money raised from these duties into social reforms. High import duties, the League claimed, would make increasing other taxes unnecessary. However opponents claimed that protection would mean dearer food, especially bread.
Sir Cyril Arthur Pearson
was its Chairman and, with Sir Harry Brittain
, a founding member. Sir Henry Page Croft was Chairman of its Organisation Committee.
Tariff Reform split the MPs of the Conservative Party and was the major factor in its landslide defeat in 1906
to the Liberals
who advocated Free Trade
. The Conservative Party under Bonar Law dropped Tariff Reform as official policy.
Shortly after the First World War
the TRL was disbanded, although other organisations promoting the same cause were still active in the 1920s. One such organisation was the Fair Trade Union created by Joseph Chamberlain's son, Neville
, and the Conservative MP Leo Amery. The British Commonwealth Union
, led by Patrick Hannon
, was another. Tariff Reform became official Conservative policy under Stanley Baldwin
and was the major issue in the 1923 general election
. The party lost its majority in the election and Tariff Reform was again dropped until the 1930s.
The Unionist Free Food League, formed under the chairmanship of Sir Michael Hicks Beach in July 1903, was a reaction to the Tariff Reform League.
Imperial Preference
Imperial Preference was a proposed system of reciprocally-levelled tariffs or free trade agreements between the dominions and colonies within the British Empire...
to protect British industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
from foreign competition. It was well funded and included politicians, intellectuals and businessmen, and was popular with the grassroots of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. By 1914 it had approximately 250,000 members. It is associated with the national campaign of Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
, the most outspoken supporter of Tariff Reform.
The League wanted to see the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
transformed into a single trading bloc, to compete with Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It favoured imposing duties on imports—as did Germany and the US—and the channelling of the money raised from these duties into social reforms. High import duties, the League claimed, would make increasing other taxes unnecessary. However opponents claimed that protection would mean dearer food, especially bread.
Sir Cyril Arthur Pearson
Cyril Arthur Pearson
Sir Cyril Arthur Pearson, 1st Baronet, GBE was a British newspaper magnate and publisher, most noted for founding the Daily Express.-Family and Early life:...
was its Chairman and, with Sir Harry Brittain
Harry Brittain
Sir Henry Ernest Brittain, KBE was a British journalist and Conservative politician.Harry Brittain, as he was known, was born at Ranmoor, Sheffield, and was the son of W. H. Brittain...
, a founding member. Sir Henry Page Croft was Chairman of its Organisation Committee.
Tariff Reform split the MPs of the Conservative Party and was the major factor in its landslide defeat in 1906
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
to the Liberals
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
who advocated Free Trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
. The Conservative Party under Bonar Law dropped Tariff Reform as official policy.
Shortly after the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the TRL was disbanded, although other organisations promoting the same cause were still active in the 1920s. One such organisation was the Fair Trade Union created by Joseph Chamberlain's son, Neville
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
, and the Conservative MP Leo Amery. The British Commonwealth Union
British Commonwealth Union
The British Commonwealth Union was a protectionist organisation formed in the United Kingdom in 1916 to "found a solid business group in parliament" and to "press for the protective tariffs and restrictions on imports discussed at the Paris Economic Conference of 1916 and in the Balfour of...
, led by Patrick Hannon
Patrick Hannon
Sir Patrick Joseph Henry Hannon FRGS FRSA was an Anglo-Irish Conservative Party politician, industrialist and agriculturalist. He served as Member of Parliament for Birmingham Moseley from 1921 to 1950 and was active in the British Commonwealth Union.-Education in agriculture:Hannon was the...
, was another. Tariff Reform became official Conservative policy under Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
and was the major issue in the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
. The party lost its majority in the election and Tariff Reform was again dropped until the 1930s.
The Unionist Free Food League, formed under the chairmanship of Sir Michael Hicks Beach in July 1903, was a reaction to the Tariff Reform League.