Wherever there were people, there was a martial world. Once interests became entangled, anything could grow complicated.
Some opposed "free trade," while others supported it. Not everyone was a victim of "free trade"; on the contrary, many industries in Britain benefited from it as well.
For example: the coal industry.
Since the last century, Britain had been the world's largest coal exporter. Even now, nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's coal production capacity was used for exports.
Once they withdrew from the free-trade system, the coal barons' good days would be over. With tariff barriers in place, British coal would lose its cost advantage.
If energy industries could not monopolize the market, then their core competitiveness lay in their costs. Without a cost advantage, having their markets seized by others was almost inevitable.
Another example: the textile industry.
Although the textile industry had suffered a severe blow with the spread of industrialization, Britain was still the world's leading textile exporter.
Because economic development had expanded the market, even though United Kingdom textiles' share of the international market had shrunk, the total value of textile exports had not fallen by much.
Data was all hollow; making money was what counted. No matter what the market prospects looked like in the future, they were still making money for now.
Once they withdrew from the free-trade system, every one of those export-oriented enterprises would see their good days come to an end.
Driven by profit, Britain's industrial and commercial circles had already split apart. The palm and the back of the hand were both flesh; the tycoons of the conglomerates that controlled industry and commerce behind the scenes were caught in a real headache as well.
Whom to support and whom to oppose was never a decision one could make on a whim.