1846 / Lords & Corn Bill
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1846 / Lords & Corn Bill
The Lords " getting up" the Corn bill" Satirical comment on the repeal of the Corn Laws
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Media ID 617278
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10083457
1846 Bill Comment Corn Laws Repeal Satirical
EDITORS COMMENTS
This satirical print from 1846, titled "The Lords 'Getting Up' the Corn Bill," offers a scathing commentary on the British House of Lords and their role in the repeal of the Corn Laws. The Corn Laws, protective tariffs on imported grain, had long been a contentious issue in British politics, with farmers and landowners advocating for their continuation to protect their interests, and industrialists and free-traders pushing for their repeal. In this cartoon, a group of bewhiskered, top-hatted Lords are depicted in the process of "getting up" a bill to repeal the Corn Laws. The image is a clever play on words, as "getting up" was a parliamentary term for introducing a bill, but it also implies a sense of being roused or awakened from a slumber. The Lords are shown in various stages of rising from their seats, some still in deep sleep, while others are in the process of putting on their hats and coats. The satirical tone is reinforced by the caricatured features of the Lords, who are depicted as lazy, out-of-touch aristocrats more interested in their own comfort and privileges than the needs of the working class. The image also includes a number of symbolic elements, such as the corn sheaves and the scales of justice, which underscore the economic and moral implications of the Corn Laws. The repeal of the Corn Laws, which was passed in 1846, was a significant moment in British history, marking the end of protectionist agriculture policies and the beginning of a new era of free trade. This satirical print offers a fascinating glimpse into the political debates and social tensions of the time, and serves as a reminder of the power of visual commentary in shaping public opinion.
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