The Economist, a weekly financial and commercial journal, was founded in 1843. Its first editor was James Wilson and the journal advocated free trade and the repeal of the corn laws. Wilson's son-in-law, Walter Bagehot, was editor from 1860 to his death in 1877.

Brendan Bracken, the Conservative politician and cabinet minister, was managing director of the Economist between 1928 and 1945.