Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

After the abolition of the Corn Laws, food could be imported into Britain more cheaply than it could be produced domestically. British agriculture could not compete with these cheap imports. As a result, vast areas of land were left uncultivated and thousands of agricultural workers lost their livelihoods, forcing them to migrate to cities or emigrate overseas.

The fall in food prices increased consumption in Britain. Rising incomes further boosted food imports. To meet this demand, lands were cleared in Eastern Europe, Russia, America and Australia, railways and ports were built, and capital flowed from financial centres like London — setting in motion large-scale migration and the emergence of a global agricultural economy by 1890.

Source: Chapter 3, Section 2.1 — A World Economy Takes Shape

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• Examiners expect three clear points for 3 marks: (1) impact on British agriculture/workers, (2) fall in prices and rise in consumption, (3) global response — land clearing, infrastructure, migration.
• Avoid vague statements; use textbook phrases like "vast areas of land left uncultivated" and "global agricultural economy."
• The cause-effect chain (abolition → cheap imports → agricultural collapse → migration → global food economy) is the core logic the examiner rewards.