ng on the
farms just described.

Notwithstanding the improvements in agriculture and the increase in
the extent of cultivated land, England ceased within the eighteenth
century to be a self-supporting country in food products. The form
which the "corn laws" had taken in 1689 had been as follows: the
raising of wheat was encouraged by prohibiting its importation and
paying a bounty of about eightpence a bushel for its exportation so
long as the prevailing price was less than six shillings a bushel.
When it was between six shillings and six shillings eightpence a
bushel its importation was forbidden, but there was no bounty paid for
exportation. Between the last price and ten shillings a bushel it
could be imported by paying a duty of a shilling a bushel. Above the
last price it could be imported free. Nevertheless, during the latter
half of the eighteenth century it became evident that there was no
longer a sufficient amount of wheat raised for the needs of the
English people. Between 1770 and 1790 exports and imports about
balanced one another, but after the latter year the imports always
exceeded the exports.

This was of course due to the great increase of population and to its
employment in the field of manufactures. The population in England in
1700 was about five millions, in 1750 about six millions and a half,
in 1800 about nine millions, and in 1850 about eighteen millions. That
is to say, its progress was slow during the first half of the
eighteenth century, more rapid during the latter half, and vastly more
rapid during the nineteenth century.

*61. The Laissez-faire Theory.*--A scarcely less complete change than
that which had occurred in manufactures, in agriculture, and in social
life as based upon these, was that which was in progress at the same
time in the realm of ideas, especially as applied to questions of
economic and social life. The complete acceptance of the view that it
was a natural and desirable part of the work of government to regulate
the economic life of the people had persisted well past the middle of
the eighteenth century. But very different tendencies of thought arose
in the latter part of the century. One of these was the prevailing
desire for greater liberty. The word liberty was defined differently
by different men, but for all alike it meant a resistance to
oppression, a revulsion against interference with personal freedom of
action, a disinclination to be controlled any more t