An anti-poverty hero; Richard Cobden. From: The Economist (US) | Date: June 5, 2004 | COPYRIGHT 2004 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

In memory of a man who actually won an argument to free up farm trade

TWO hundred years ago, on June 3rd 1804, was born a man who led the first great campaign for free trade. His name was Richard Cobden, and he led the Anti-Corn Law League, perhaps Britain's first big NGO, which in 1839-46 fought to persuade Parliament to remove price controls and import barriers for wheat. By acting as a hefty tax on basic foods, Cobden argued, those controls impoverished ordinary worke...