To Promote the Future Success of the Empire (Joseph Chamberlain) - Tariff Reform League badge (1903-1914)
The Tariff Reform League (TRL) was a British trade protectionist movement founded in July 1903 to advocate protection for British jobs and promote tighter trade cooperation within the British Empire. In doing so, the TRL sought to impose preferential tariffs against the import of foreign goods, especially from newly industrial countries such as Germany and the USA. At the same time the TRL promoted preferential trading with countries of the British Empire who would be excluded from the import tariffs and developed as an Empire-wide trading bloc.
Against the backdrop of trade recession, high unemployment and the rising economic powers of Germany and the USA, the TRL movement was organised by a breakaway faction within the Conservative Party under the leadership of Joseph Chamberlain. There was much popular support for the TRL and it remained at the centre of Edwardian politics in Britain. However, the TRL was strongly opposed by the Liberals and the opposing faction within the Conservative party who were in favour of open free trade with all countries. The main argument against TRL’s policies was based on the premise that import tariffs would lead to higher food prices, especially with regards to imported grain and emotionally labelling them as a ‘bread tax’. The issue had also split the Conservatives who set up the Unionist Free Food League as a counterweight to the TRL.
The TRL was staunchly supportive of protectionism and free trade within the British Empire but to succeed, it needed more national appeal. Arguments were put forward at rallies to convince the working classes of it’s merits and how it would contribute to their greater prosperity. At the same time the trade unions would need to be convinced and taken on board. Henry Page-Croft was instrumental in driving this and in giving the TRL a much broader class appeal that contributed to it’s success as a political movement.
The Liberals won a landslide electoral victory over the Conservatives in 1906 but despite this, Chamberlain and Croft continued to advocate for tariff reform. After 1910, the TRL suffered continual decline as funding decreased and the political will to drive the movement no longer had popular support. A general trade recovery made the issue seem less relevant to the public and interest waned as employment improved. Other political events had overtaken tariff reform as the burning issue, such as Home Rule for Ireland that proved politically divisive at the time. By the outbreak of WW1 in 1914, the significance of the TRL movement had ceased to be an important political issue and other reforms were affected too (eg; Home Rule shelved). The work of hundreds of TRL local branches throughout the UK was diverted away from tariff reform to helping the war effort by patriotic fund raising and moral-raising amongst the troops. Tariff reform became a dead letter and the TRL quickly dissolved as a political force once the war was over.
In the context of the time, the TRL was one of many tariff reform leagues and in addition, there were other political groups established to oppose them. The progress of WW1 lead to such profound social and political change that the circumstances within which the TRL developed were lost in the past. Despite this, the Conservative continued to cherish the policy of tariff reforms into the 1920’s, but events had overtaken them.
This very rare badge depicts a finely engraved image of the Rt. Hon. Jospeh Chamberlain (1836-1914) and it’s text states TO PROMOTE THE FUTURE SUCCESS OF THE EMPIRE – PROTECTION – RETALIATION being the aims and methods of the TRL. This badge may date to the early years of the TRL, before 1910.
References:
Henry Page-Croft and the crises of British Conservatism by Larry L. Witherell
For Party or Country – Nationalism and the dilemmas of popular Conservatism in Edwardian England by Frans Coetzee
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Chamberlain#Tariff_reform:_C...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Chamberlain (Joseph Chamberlain
Enamels: 3 (red, white & blue).
Finish: Gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Clip.
Size: 1 1/8” x 1 ¼” (28mm x 32mm).
Process: Die stamped.
Imprint: No maker’s name or mark but text states REG APPL FOR.
Photo reproduced with kind permission of the seller (diggerlee - Lee Burgess)).
Currently for sale on eBay as from 5th August 2015.
Item number 141737345872.
£300 buy it now or make offer.
To Promote the Future Success of the Empire (Joseph Chamberlain) - Tariff Reform League badge (1903-1914)
The Tariff Reform League (TRL) was a British trade protectionist movement founded in July 1903 to advocate protection for British jobs and promote tighter trade cooperation within the British Empire. In doing so, the TRL sought to impose preferential tariffs against the import of foreign goods, especially from newly industrial countries such as Germany and the USA. At the same time the TRL promoted preferential trading with countries of the British Empire who would be excluded from the import tariffs and developed as an Empire-wide trading bloc.
Against the backdrop of trade recession, high unemployment and the rising economic powers of Germany and the USA, the TRL movement was organised by a breakaway faction within the Conservative Party under the leadership of Joseph Chamberlain. There was much popular support for the TRL and it remained at the centre of Edwardian politics in Britain. However, the TRL was strongly opposed by the Liberals and the opposing faction within the Conservative party who were in favour of open free trade with all countries. The main argument against TRL’s policies was based on the premise that import tariffs would lead to higher food prices, especially with regards to imported grain and emotionally labelling them as a ‘bread tax’. The issue had also split the Conservatives who set up the Unionist Free Food League as a counterweight to the TRL.
The TRL was staunchly supportive of protectionism and free trade within the British Empire but to succeed, it needed more national appeal. Arguments were put forward at rallies to convince the working classes of it’s merits and how it would contribute to their greater prosperity. At the same time the trade unions would need to be convinced and taken on board. Henry Page-Croft was instrumental in driving this and in giving the TRL a much broader class appeal that contributed to it’s success as a political movement.
The Liberals won a landslide electoral victory over the Conservatives in 1906 but despite this, Chamberlain and Croft continued to advocate for tariff reform. After 1910, the TRL suffered continual decline as funding decreased and the political will to drive the movement no longer had popular support. A general trade recovery made the issue seem less relevant to the public and interest waned as employment improved. Other political events had overtaken tariff reform as the burning issue, such as Home Rule for Ireland that proved politically divisive at the time. By the outbreak of WW1 in 1914, the significance of the TRL movement had ceased to be an important political issue and other reforms were affected too (eg; Home Rule shelved). The work of hundreds of TRL local branches throughout the UK was diverted away from tariff reform to helping the war effort by patriotic fund raising and moral-raising amongst the troops. Tariff reform became a dead letter and the TRL quickly dissolved as a political force once the war was over.
In the context of the time, the TRL was one of many tariff reform leagues and in addition, there were other political groups established to oppose them. The progress of WW1 lead to such profound social and political change that the circumstances within which the TRL developed were lost in the past. Despite this, the Conservative continued to cherish the policy of tariff reforms into the 1920’s, but events had overtaken them.
This very rare badge depicts a finely engraved image of the Rt. Hon. Jospeh Chamberlain (1836-1914) and it’s text states TO PROMOTE THE FUTURE SUCCESS OF THE EMPIRE – PROTECTION – RETALIATION being the aims and methods of the TRL. This badge may date to the early years of the TRL, before 1910.
References:
Henry Page-Croft and the crises of British Conservatism by Larry L. Witherell
For Party or Country – Nationalism and the dilemmas of popular Conservatism in Edwardian England by Frans Coetzee
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Chamberlain#Tariff_reform:_C...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Chamberlain (Joseph Chamberlain
Enamels: 3 (red, white & blue).
Finish: Gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Clip.
Size: 1 1/8” x 1 ¼” (28mm x 32mm).
Process: Die stamped.
Imprint: No maker’s name or mark but text states REG APPL FOR.
Photo reproduced with kind permission of the seller (diggerlee - Lee Burgess)).
Currently for sale on eBay as from 5th August 2015.
Item number 141737345872.
£300 buy it now or make offer.