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Notes on the Essays

Abstract

Many of these essays employ a political economy approach to the study of British politics. It is an approach developed in four linked books which I have published over the last thirty years: The Conservative Nation (1974), Britain in Decline (1981), The Free Economy and the Strong State (1988) and Between Europe and America (2003). They attempt to understand the shifting agendas, issues, outcomes and debates in British politics through an analysis of the political economy of the British state, exploring the historical, institutional and ideological contexts which have shaped it. This work has had a particular emphasis on the Conservative party and its central role in British politics, but I have always had a wider interest in British politics and comparing it to other political systems. The essays in this book have been chosen to illustrate these different aspects of my writing on British politics and its political economy.

‘After Brexit’ (Chapter 1) was a contribution to a book edited by Colin Hay and Daniel Bailey, Diverging Capitalisms: Britain, the City of London, and Europe published by Palgrave-Macmillan in 2019. It was written after the Referendum result but before it was clear what kind of Brexit the May Government was seeking to deliver. I have updated the essay to reflect the replacement of May by Johnson (although at the time of writing it is still not completely clear what the Johnson Government is aiming for or will deliver).

Abstract

Many of these essays employ a political economy approach to the study of British politics. It is an approach developed in four linked books which I have published over the last thirty years: The Conservative Nation (1974), Britain in Decline (1981), The Free Economy and the Strong State (1988) and Between Europe and America (2003). They attempt to understand the shifting agendas, issues, outcomes and debates in British politics through an analysis of the political economy of the British state, exploring the historical, institutional and ideological contexts which have shaped it. This work has had a particular emphasis on the Conservative party and its central role in British politics, but I have always had a wider interest in British politics and comparing it to other political systems. The essays in this book have been chosen to illustrate these different aspects of my writing on British politics and its political economy.

‘After Brexit’ (Chapter 1) was a contribution to a book edited by Colin Hay and Daniel Bailey, Diverging Capitalisms: Britain, the City of London, and Europe published by Palgrave-Macmillan in 2019. It was written after the Referendum result but before it was clear what kind of Brexit the May Government was seeking to deliver. I have updated the essay to reflect the replacement of May by Johnson (although at the time of writing it is still not completely clear what the Johnson Government is aiming for or will deliver).

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Preface vi
  4. Introduction: Historical Contexts 1
  5. Notes on the Essays 7
  6. After Brexit1 15
  7. Explanations of British Decline 37
  8. The European Disunion 57
  9. The Anglo–American World View 75
  10. The Free Economy and the Strong State 91
  11. Thatcherism and Conservative Politics 113
  12. Economic Growth and Political Dilemmas1 133
  13. The Crisis of Conservatism1 151
  14. The Thatcher Myth 177
  15. Theories of British Politics 193
  16. The Constitutional Revolution in the United Kingdom1 213
  17. What’s British about British Politics?1 231
  18. Epilogue: Last Thoughts 251
  19. Notes 259
  20. Acknowledgements 279
  21. Index 281
After Brexit and Other Essays
This chapter is in the book After Brexit and Other Essays
https://doi.org/10.56687/9781529217124-003

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Preface vi
  4. Introduction: Historical Contexts 1
  5. Notes on the Essays 7
  6. After Brexit1 15
  7. Explanations of British Decline 37
  8. The European Disunion 57
  9. The Anglo–American World View 75
  10. The Free Economy and the Strong State 91
  11. Thatcherism and Conservative Politics 113
  12. Economic Growth and Political Dilemmas1 133
  13. The Crisis of Conservatism1 151
  14. The Thatcher Myth 177
  15. Theories of British Politics 193
  16. The Constitutional Revolution in the United Kingdom1 213
  17. What’s British about British Politics?1 231
  18. Epilogue: Last Thoughts 251
  19. Notes 259
  20. Acknowledgements 279
  21. Index 281
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