Irish Potatoes and British Politics

Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 The Puzzle • Why did a House of Commons and a House of Lords dominated by landed Tories vote to repeal the Corn Laws, a measure that was inimical to their interests? – Reflected domination of commercial interests? (Marx) – Re-election pressures? Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 1841 Election Results (Seats) England & Wales Conservatives Whig-Liberals 302 198 500 Scotland Ireland 22 31 53 43 62 105 Total 367 291 658 Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 1841 Election Results (Rural – Urban Split) England, Scotland, Wales Counties Conservatives Whig-Liberals 167 32 199 Boroughs Total 157 197 354 324 229 553 Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 1841 Election Results (Large & Small Boroughs) English Boroughs Large (>2000) Medium (1000-2000) Small (<1000) Conservatives Whig-Liberals 15 43 29 34 109 93 Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Starting Assumptions • Do not automatically impose today’s preferences on yesterday’s politicians (e.g., re-election) • Interests: Land, Labour, Capital – Two possible arrangements: 1. Urban (Capital & Labour) vs. Rural (Land) 2. Class (Capital & Land) vs Labour Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 • Lessons of the French Revolution – – – – – Chartism Pot Plug Plots Anti-Poor Law League Radicalism… and (horror) democracy! Ultra Tory reaction. • Peel’s Tamworth Manifesto: “Reform to Conserve” Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Sir Robert Peel • Son of a wealthy industrialist – Not tied to land – More faith in markets – Business man by orientation • Minister in 1817 • Never came to terms with “party” • Saw PMs duty to provide Crown with a cabinet Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 The Party System 291 367 Whigs Radicals “Administrative” Tories Ultras Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel’s Policy Objectives • Neither Commons nor Lords congenial to Peel’s aims: 1. The Condition of England Question: Increase standard of living to undercut lower class agitation – “At the heart of Peel’s policy was the conviction that the only way to overcome both human misery an social threat was to increase the purchasing power of the masses.” (Gash) – “Philosophers are very regardless of expense when the public has to bear it.” (Peel) Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel’s Policy Objectives • Country in financial difficult • Inflation and Corn Laws driving up food prices • Fuels Chartist agitation • Peel’s budget re-imposes income tax and begins free trade • Both inimical to landed interests … yet it passes Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Collective Action & Rent-Seeking • Peel & Gladstone (Pres. of Board of Trade) lobbied furiously: “Dined at Abp of Yorks. Copper, Tin, Zinc, Salmon, Timber, Oil, Saltmeat, all are to be ruined, and all in arms.” (W.E. Gladstone, Diary for 15.03.1842) • • Concentrated benefits versus Diffuse costs Rent-seeking Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Support “Hard” Budget Oppose 4, 3 3, 2 Median Tory Peel “Easy” Budget Oppose 1, 1 Support 2, 4 Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Support 4, 3 “Hard” Budget Oppose 3, 2 Median Tory Peel “Easy” Budget Oppose 1, 1 Support 2, 4 Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Support 4, 3 “Hard” Budget Oppose 3, 2 Median Tory Peel “Easy” Budget Oppose 1, 1 Support 2, 4 Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 4, 2 Support Resign “Hard” Budget Oppose Accept ?,3 ?, 1 Median Tory Peel “Easy” Budget Peel Accept Oppose Resign ?,3 ? ,1 Support 2, 4 Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel’s Credibility • Peel had a well-known reputation: 1. Did not place a premium on party: – Tamworth Manifesto was addressed to, “that great intelligent class of society… which is much less interested in contentions of party, than in maintenance of order and cause of good government.” – Disdained “all those who look on party as a pack of hounds which must have blood.” (quoted in Jenkins 1998, 80) Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel’s Credibility 1. Did not place a premium on party 2. Had refused power in the past: Bedchamber Crisis 1839 3. Valued free markets and sound finance: “Of all the vulgar arts of government that of solving every difficulty which might arise by thrusting the hand into the public purse is the most derisory and contemptible.” (quoted in Evans 2006, 56) Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 4, 2 Support Resign “Hard” Budget Oppose Accept 1,3 3, 1 Median Tory Peel “Easy” Budget Peel Accept Oppose Resign 1,3 3 ,1 Support 2, 4 Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel’s Policy Objectives • Neither Commons nor Lords congenial to Peel’s aims: 1. The Condition of England Question: Increase standard of living to undercut lower class agitation (Free Trade) 2. The Condition of Ireland Question: Ensure propertied Catholics sided with English Regime (Religious Toleration) Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel’s Irish Policy “Considerations of policy, and also of justice, demand a liberal and indulgent estimate of the claims of such Roman Catholics as abstain from political agitation” (Jenkins 1998, 118) “…the wit of man could not devise a more effectual method for converting them [Catholic Priests at Maynooth College] into sour, malignant, demagogues, hostile to the law from all the sympathies of low birth and kindred, living by agitation, inclined to it and fitted for it by our …pernicious system of education.” (Evans 2006, 66) Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Separate Dissenters (radicals) Separation of State & Church Whigs Peel Ultras Irish MPs SQ Fused Anti-Catholic Religious Toleration Pro-Catholic Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel & Maynooth • Peel wins on Maynooth, but … • Reliant on moderate Whig support • Splits Conservatives 149-148 • Wellington uses public order argument in Lords: “ We cannot avoid their being Roman Catholics” Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel & the Corn Laws • Probably not a two-dimensional story in Commons 1. Whigs, Radicals, and Irish Support Peel 2. Splits Conservatives 3. Roll-call analysis not obviously two-dimensional Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 One-Dimensional Solution: MP with 50% “Yea votes & 50% “No” votes MP with 100% “No” voting record MP with 100% “Yea” voting record Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Two-Dimensional Solution: MP with 50% “Yea votes & 50% “No” votes on votes 1-k, votes “No” on votes k+1 to n MP always votes “No” on votes 1-k, votes “Yes” on votes k+1 to n MP always votes “Yes” on votes 1-k, votes “Yes” on votes k+1 to n Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel & the Corn Laws • • A 1-dimensional “take-it-or-leave-it” model in Commons Peel is: 1. 2. Genuinely upset at the human costs of the Irish Famine; Of the view that the Famine can be used to push free trade:... “The remedy is the removal of all impediments to the import of all kinds of human food – that is, the total and absolute repeal for ever of all duties on all articles of subsistence” (Quoted in McLean, 38). Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel & the Corn Laws • Russell & Whigs come out in favour of Repeal (no surprise; it’s in their political interests) • Peel’s Cabinet is deeply split – Peel resigns! • Secures promises from Wellington and Stanley not to form a Protectionist Cabinet. Why are these promises credible? Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel & the Corn Laws • Russell finds he cannot form a Cabinet either • • – – Peel is the only alternative & he returns as PM. Median Tory MP knows: No protectionist alternative It’s Peel or back to Russell or an election • Peel can use his agenda power to make a “take-it-or-leaveit” offer to the House Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Median MP (Tory) Peel Status Quo Free Trade Any policy proposal within this area is preferred by median MP to SQ Protectionist Irish Potatoes & British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws. McLean, Chapter 2 Peel & the Corn Laws • A 1-dimensional “take-it-or-leave-it” model in Commons • In Lords, Wellington uses spectre of constitutional crisis to secure passage: “...and this for the sake of the Queen, the religious and other ancient institutions of the country...” (Quoted in McLean 42)