The Cobden Way

”The progress of freedom depends more upon the maintenance of peace, the spread of commerce, and the diffusion of education, than upon the labours of cabinets and foreign offices.”

Richard Cobden, diplomat, statesman, believed that free trade brings peace and harmony among nations. He was tireless in promoting open trade between nations as a means of economic development for all classes. His work led to the repeal of corn tariffs in Britain and a groundbreaking free trade treaty between Britain and France in 1860, the first of its kind, which included a "most favoured nation" clause ensuring equal trade treatment between countries. This clause has been incorporated into all modern multilateral free trade agreements.

“People…must be brought into mutual dependence by the supply of each others’ wants. There is no other way of counteracting the antagonism of language and race…no other plan is worth a [penny].