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Tariff Reform League Campaign Card
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Tariff Reform League Campaign Card
A campaign card by the Tariff Reform League shows a hop farmer complaining that cheap imports of hops will lead to his ending up in the workhouse. Date: 1908
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Media ID 23265576
© Mary Evans/Peter Higginbotham Collection
Campaign Cheap Complaining Ending Farmer Hops Imports Lead League Reform Tariff Workhouse
EDITORS COMMENTS
1. Title: "A Hop Farmers' Plight: The Tariff Reform League's Call to Action in 1908" This evocative campaign card from the Tariff Reform League, dated 1908, powerfully illustrates the concerns of British hop farmers during a time of intense economic uncertainty. The image shows a distressed hop farmer, his weathered face etched with worry, as he looks out at a barren hop field. In the background, a workhouse looms ominously, a stark reminder of the potential fate that awaited many farmers unable to compete with cheap imports. The Tariff Reform League, a powerful lobbying group advocating for protectionist trade policies, used this image to galvanize public support for their cause. The league believed that the flood of cheap imports, particularly from Germany, was decimating British agriculture and threatening the livelihoods of farmers across the country. By depicting the plight of the hop farmer, the league sought to tap into the public's empathy and concern for the rural community. The campaign card's design is simple yet effective. The use of a single, powerful image, combined with the stark contrast between the verdant hop field and the looming workhouse, effectively conveys the sense of urgency and desperation felt by farmers at the time. The league's slogan, "Protection or Ruin," is prominently displayed, underscoring the urgency of their message. This campaign card is a poignant reminder of the economic and social challenges faced by British farmers during the late Victorian era. It also highlights the role of advocacy groups in shaping public opinion and influencing government policy. The Tariff Reform League's campaign ultimately led to the passage of the 1909 Budget, which introduced protective tariffs on a range of imported goods, providing some relief for British farmers and other industries.
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