During the 19th century Laissez faire developed as a social and economic philosophy. It was believed that government involvement in business was harmful at worst and ineffective at best. Socially, it was believed that government intervention to help the poor was harmful because it made them lazy and dependent on the government. Economically there was debate at this time in Europe and the United States over whether free trade or tariffs promoted the most economic growth. Up until the 1840s protectionism was favored over Laissez faire. In Britain the Corn Laws placed high tariffs on imported corn to protect British farmers and land owners. 