The challenge of democracy : Britain 1832-1918 / Hugh Cunningham.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cunningham, Hugh.

Series:

New history of Britain

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Great Britain--History--Victoria, 1837-1901.

Great Britain.

History.

Great Britain--History--Edward VII, 1901-1910.

Great Britain--History--William IV, 1830-1837.

Great Britain--History--George V, 1910-1936.

Physical Description:

viii, 303 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Harlow, England ; New York : Longman, 2001.

Summary:

/* LB780, 0-582-31304-X, Cunningham, Hugh, The Challenge of Democracy" */" Focusing on the rise of democracy, this is a history of Britain from the Great Reform Act to the end of the First World War, taking a fresh view of what was a period of unprecedented and rapid change." This book provides a clear narrative of political events, and an analysis of change and continuity in ideas and in economic and social structure. Britain is set firmly in the context of world power and the possession of empire. An overarching theme is the challenge presented by democracy in a period framed by the First and Fourth Reform Acts. 'Democracy' had no stable meaning, and its opponents were just as vocal as its advocates. The book explores its implications for the role of the state, for the governance of empire, and for the relationship between the different nations within the United Kingdom." For those intested in British history.

Contents:

1 Britain in the 1830s 4

The United Kingdom and its governance 4

Britain in the world 11

The industrial revolution 14

Social structure and political power 17

2 An age of reform? 1832-48 28

The Reform Act of 1832 29

Government, party and reform, 1832-46 36

Chartism 46

Central and local government 51

3 Mid-Victorian Britain 55

Parliamentary government 56

Reform 60

The economy 69

Class, gender and nation 71

4 The progress of the nation? 80

Communications 81

Science 84

History 87

Moral progress 90

Capitalism 97

5 Stepping stones towards democracy, 1867-85 103

The practice of politics in the era of the Second Reform Act 103

The Liberal party and Gladstone's first ministry 105

Disraeli and the Conservative party 111

Gladstone's second ministry 117

Democracy in the balance sheet 120

6 The Conservative ascendancy, 1885-1905 129

The Liberals and home rule 130

The Conservative party, 1885-1905 133

The course of politics, 1886-1905 139

The rise of labour 145

7 An urban society: Britain, 1850-1918 153

The growth of towns 153

Consumption and lifestyles 159

Diagnoses and remedies 172

8 Empire and nation: the British and their identities 179

Empire 179

Nations 189

9 The birth of the modern state? Britain, 1905-14 204

Reshaping the constitution: the Lords and the Irish 205

The role of the state 209

Labour 217

Women 219

Foreign policy 222

10 Britain at war, 1914-18 227

August 1914-spring 1915 228

The Asquith coalition, May 1915-December 1916 232

The Lloyd George coalition, December 1916-December 1918 235

Society and the state 239

11 Britain in 1918 248.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [284]-292) and index.

ISBN:

058231304X

OCLC:

48223121