" Joe's great crusade"- The tariff reform is passed?

One of the great pillars of British trade and democracy in the early 20th century was " free trade", becoming the basis of modern day globalisation and leading to the rise of that great nation of industrialists- the USA. But in 1903, an outspoken and popular politician Joseph Chamberlain ( the father of Neville Chamberlain) thretend to strangle this concept in its infancy by passing a tariff reform- which would have taxed all foreign imports forcing Britain to rely more on empire goods. "Joe" as he was known was one of the most famous faces in his day- a reformer, turncoat, popular with the working classes and responsible for the collapse of TWO governments. However, he changed his views from Socialism to protecting the empire and stopping the thing he said was destroying her economy- free trade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Chamberlain_in_colour.jpg

" Imagine" he said in his many mass rallies, " sugar is gone; silk has gone; iron is threatened; wool is threatened; cotton will go! How long are you going to stand it? At the present moment these industries...are like sheep in a field." He denounced his oppoments in the Liberals, with many Liberal party members ( including Lloyd George) being attacked and denounced and vast crowds of workers backing Chamberlains campaign. He nearly won. But the real disadvantage of his reform would be that it would send the price of food, especially bread, sky rocketing- even though they were high already. Equally bad is the fact that it would upset the foreign companies importing these items ( including Germany and the USA) would suffer horribly from this and global prices would shoot up, causing a global economic crisis and increasing unrest and tensions as these countries blame Britain.

In the end, it was this fact, the passionate speeches of Lloyd George and the preaching by Herbert Aquith on the virtues of Free Trade- not to menttion massive disunity amongst the unionists- meant it eventually ended in defeat. The liberals were back in power, Chamberlain briefly became head of the opposition but the stress of the campaign had weakened him. He retired and the continuation of free trade and with it the eventual decline of the empire was assured.

But what if his reform was passed? Could it have staved off the decline of British industry and her empire? Could it have solved unemployment and bread prices as he promised? or would it have just caused huge price hikes, huge social and global unrest and created a world without Globalisation? It would mean a more disunited and self reliant world.......

Whats your opinion?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Chamberlain_John_Singer_Sargent_1896.jpeg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Chamberlain

http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/...may-1910/tariff-reform-free-trade-or-no-trade
 
Speaking as a Liberal, there's nothing I'd like better than to see a TL where Joseph Chamberlain gets killed in a freak herring-throwing accident. Tarriff Reform was possible, yes, but as you said it would have bumped the price of food up horribly. Besides - Tarriff Reform helped the Liberals to utterly wallop the Tories in the 1906 election.
 
Speaking as a Liberal, there's nothing I'd like better than to see a TL where Joseph Chamberlain gets killed in a freak herring-throwing accident. Tarriff Reform was possible, yes, but as you said it would have bumped the price of food up horribly. Besides - Tarriff Reform helped the Liberals to utterly wallop the Tories in the 1906 election.

Yes it did- utterly. But don't forget Chamberlain had huge support amongst the working class ( especially Birmingham) and people were accusing the Liberals as " Boar lovers" and even " traitors" after many backed peace with the boars. So he could have succeeded and NEARLY did. Dont forget, he was offering jobs that people desperately needed at that point. Of course, thank god, he failed and our beloved Liberal party came to power spreading peace and joy to all- but it could have been so different.
 
If it was implemented it would do what it did every time the Tories flirted with the idea IOTL, times two - smash them electorally. The electorate is not going to support any programme whose only reliable and immediate effect on their lives would be to put up commodity prices. I honestly think the only way you are going to see sustainable Tarrif Reform is in a Fight and Be Rightverse dominant party system where the electorate has no other recourse than the Tories. All it was in OTL was a repeated politcal gift to the Liberals and Labour.
 
If it was implemented it would do what it did every time the Tories flirted with the idea IOTL, times two - smash them electorally. The electorate is not going to support any programme whose only reliable and immediate effect on their lives would be to put up commodity prices. I honestly think the only way you are going to see sustainable Tarrif Reform is in a Fight and Be Rightverse dominant party system where the electorate has no other recourse than the Tories. All it was in OTL was a repeated politcal gift to the Liberals and Labour.

True- but it never came closer to fruition i think then with old joe. And besides.... even if the proposal itself didnt get passes, the damage done night still discredit the liberals and cause unrest amongst the working class.
 
Yes it did- utterly. But don't forget Chamberlain had huge support amongst the working class ( especially Birmingham) and people were accusing the Liberals as " Boar lovers" and even " traitors" after many backed peace with the boars. So he could have succeeded and NEARLY did. Dont forget, he was offering jobs that people desperately needed at that point. Of course, thank god, he failed and our beloved Liberal party came to power spreading peace and joy to all- but it could have been so different.


Boers. Not Boars.

The Transvaal were defeated by the British, not Asterix and Obelix.
 
I know little of this beyond wiki, but is Joe against imported finished goods, or all imports? In the early 1930's the British Empire did have some sort of tariff scheme (anyone know any good books on it?). Best case, the tariffs are only on finished goods, so imports (food mainly) from Argentina can continue. Would be kinda funny if after this, the British sign a trade agreement with Russia buying grain for industrial plants.
 
If that can butterfly the son, I'm all for it. France and six million jews may breath in relieve... :rolleyes:

Because a curbstomped RAF in 1938, followed by moderate strategic bombing of London, Manchester, Belfast etc, is exactly what Britain needs to beat Germany quicker than OTL. /Offtopic.
 
I seem to recall (and for no other reason than I seem to recall it) that the idea of Imperial Preference allowed other countries to be included by treaty. This would allow selective exceptions which, presumably, would enable low cost foodstuffs to continue to be imported.
 
I seem to recall (and for no other reason than I seem to recall it) that the idea of Imperial Preference allowed other countries to be included by treaty. This would allow selective exceptions which, presumably, would enable low cost foodstuffs to continue to be imported.

This was to ensure Argentinian beef would still be imported.
 
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