The Transformation of British Politics 1860–1995

Abstract

The British political system, though often criticised, has been the model and the inspiration for many national governments worldwide. Yet it is now at the centre of controversial debate within Britain itself. Over the 130 years since Bagehot wrote his English Constitution, no historian has investigated in depth how it has evolved in all its dimensions, and few political scientists have looked further back than the Second World War. This book provides a detailed explanation of how the British political system came to acquire the form it has today. The book's analysis runs continuously from the 1860s to the 1990s. It investigates such topics as civil liberties, pressure groups, parliament, elections and the parties, central and local government, cabinet, and monarchy. It also examines international and cultural influences on the working of the political system, and concludes by surveying contemporary proposals for reform.