Quick Facts
- Date:
- 1820 - 1900
- Areas Of Involvement:
- economics
- laissez-faire
- Isolationism
- free trade
- foreign policy
- Related People:
- John Bright
- Richard Cobden
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Manchester school
political and economic school of thought
Manchester school, Political and economic school of thought led by Richard Cobden and John Bright that originated in meetings of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce in 1820 and dominated the British Liberal Party in the mid-19th century. Its followers believed in laissez-faire economic policies, including free trade, free competition, and freedom of contract, and were isolationist in foreign affairs. Its adherents tended to be businessmen, not theorists.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Maren Goldberg.
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