First published 1984
In 1839, Richard Cobden and John Bright face an impossible task. They must convince a hostile nation to abolish the Corn Laws, the import duties that protect wealthy landowners while keeping bread prices high for ordinary families. Nearly every powerful interest opposes them. Politicians warn that removing these tariffs will destroy agriculture and starve farm workers. Even industrial laborers, who would benefit most from cheaper food, remain divided and suspicious. Cobden and Bright build their League from nothing, sending poorly paid speakers across Britain to make their case village by village. They battle entrenched privilege, political corruption, and public indifference. The campaign tests their resolve as opponents offer compromises that would gut their movement. The final confrontation comes in Parliament, where Conservative Prime Minister Robert Peel must choose between party loyalty and economic justice. This is the story of how two determined reformers transformed British politics through persistence and principle.
Genres: historical-fiction, political-science, politics, 19th-century, activism, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, underdog
Setting: Britain, Parliament
Period: 1839
Hardcover · St Martins Press 1984