Richard Cobden (1804–1865), a leading figure in the Anti-Corn Law League, was a passionate advocate, ideologue and activist for free trade. Cobden linked free trade with a moral foreign policy which eschewed intervention in foreign conflicts and opposed wasteful military expenditure. For Cobden, free trade was a key element in forging a new structure of international foreign and diplomatic relations.
Richard Cobden (1804–1865), engraving, date unknown (19th century), unknown artist; source: The Mises Circle, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.