the Corn Laws
noun /ðə ˈkɔːn lɔːz/
/ðə ˈkɔːrn lɔːz/
[plural]- a set of British laws, first introduced in the Middle Ages, which controlled the import and export of grain in order to protect the price of British wheat. They were unpopular in the 19th century when there was a shortage of wheat and the laws were keeping the prices high. Many Members of Parliament owned agricultural land and made large profits from these high prices. In 1846, under pressure from the Anti-Corn Law League, the government changed the laws.
玉米法：一套英国法律，最早在中世纪提出，该法控制谷物的进出口，以保护英国小麦的价格。在19世纪，当时小麦短缺，法律使价格居高不下，因此他们并不受欢迎。许多国会议员拥有农业用地，并从这些高价中获利颇丰。1846年，在反玉米法律联盟的压力下，政府修改了法律。