Britain Since 1789: A Concise History - Softcover

Pugh, Martin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0333764536 ISBN 13: 9780333764534

Publisher: Palgrave, 1999

Synopsis

In Britain since 1789, Martin Pugh offers a stimulating introduction to the fundamental social, political and economic changes that took place in Great Britain from the late eighteenth century to the present day. In his study of this complex and fascinating period, he explores the major factors governing and determining events and asks:
How and why did Britain reach her peak as a great industrial power by 1850? What has been the nature and extent of economic decline since the late-Victorian period? How, as violent, revolutionary change swept across Europe, did the aristocratic British political system give way to mass democracy with scarcely a protest? How did Britain manage to acquire a huge empire in the nineteenth century while investing so little in her armed forces? Drawing on the latest historical research, Pugh presents an accessible, concise and yet wide-ranging analysis of the factors that have shaped contemporary Britain. His study culminates in an evaluation of Britain's dilemmas at the end of this century - following the collapse of consensus politics, the rejection of Thatcherism, the emergence of New Labour and the reappraisal of Britain's relationship with Europe.

About this title

About the Author

MARTIN PUGH is Professor of Modern British History at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. A well-known academic and writer on modern British history, his previous publications include Women and the Women's Movement in Britain 1914-1959 (also published by Macmillan) and A Companion to Modern European History 1871-1945 and State and Society: British Political and Social History, 1870-1992.

From Library Journal

Pugh (Univ. Newcastle upon Tyne), a widely published scholar of British history, wrote this survey for Italian university students. His goal was to make his subject understandable to non-English speakers, primarily by writing short, focused chapters with minimal assumptions about the readers' knowledge. The book has 29 chapters, each nine pages or fewer. Its positive reception at the University of Rome prompted publication of this English edition. The author's assumptions make the book more accessible than most surveys, but it is understandably light on details. Pugh has to make more generalizations than in a typical survey history, and while he has the scholarly authority to do so, the result smacks of history lite. He's uncertain about his own assessment of recent events, and the book breaks no new scholarly turf. It's hard to tell where the book's audience will be in the English-speaking world; it's probably too superficial for college students but a little too demanding for high school or casual reading. Perhaps an alternate selection for public libraries?ARobert C. Moore, Raytheon Electronic Systems, Sudbury, MA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Palgrave
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0333764536
• ISBN 13: 9780333764534
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 268