The Manchester School
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The name given in derision by Disraeli to the Cobden-Bright group of Free Trade economists in 1848. Hence, Free Traders, and Free Trade prin- ciples generally.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Manchester School” mean?
The name given in derision by Disraeli to the Cobden-Bright group of Free Trade economists in 1848. Hence, Free Traders, and Free Trade prin- ciples generally.
Is “The Manchester School” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.