A Companion to Early Twentieth-Century Britain

This Companion brings together 32 new essays by leading
historians to provide a reassessment of British history in the
early twentieth century. The contributors present lucid
introductions to the literature and debates on major aspects of the
political, social and economic history of Britain between 1900 and

• Examines controversial issues over the social impact of the
  First World War, especially on women

• Provides substantial coverage of changes in Wales, Scotland and
  Ireland as well as in England

• Includes a substantial bibliography, which will be a valuable
  guide to secondary sources

Auteur
Chris Wrigley was formerly the Head of the School of History and Art History and is Professor of Modern British History at Nottingham University. He has been President of the Historical Association (19969), Vice-President of the Royal Historical Society and Chair of the Society for the Study of Labour History. He was awarded an Honorary Litt.D. by the University of East Anglia in 1998. He was also editor of The Historian from 1993 to 1998. His previous books include David Lloyd George and the British Labour Movement (1976), Arthur Henderson (1990), Lloyd George and the Challenge of Labour (1990) and Lloyd George (1992).

Résumé
This Companion brings together 32 new essays by leading historians to provide a reassessment of British history in the early twentieth century. The contributors present lucid introductions to the literature and debates on major aspects of the political, social and economic history of Britain between 1900 and 1939.

• Examines controversial issues over the social impact of the First World War, especially on women
• Provides substantial coverage of changes in Wales, Scotland and Ireland as well as in England
• Includes a substantial bibliography, which will be a valuable guide to secondary sources

Contenu

List of Contributors x

Introduction xv

Part I British Political Life

1 The Conservative Party, 1900-1939: From Crisis to
Ascendancy 3

Philip Williamson

2 The Liberal Party, 1900-1939: Summit and Descent
23

Michael Bentley

3 The Politics of the Labour Movement, 1900-1939 38

Duncan Tanner

4 The Politics of National Efficiency and of War,
1900-1918 56

G. R. Searle

5 Scottish Issues in British Politics, 1900-1939 72

I. G. C. Hutchison

6 Wales and British Politics, 1900-1939 87

R. Merfyn Jones

7 Ireland and British Politics, 1900-1939 102

D. George Boyce

8 Women and Politics, 1900-1939 118

Christine Collette

Part II Britain and the World

9 Immigrants, Sojourners and Refugees: Minority Groups in
Britain, 1900-1939 137

Anne J. Kershen

10 British Foreign Policy, 1900-1939 152

G. H. Bennett

11 The British Armed Forces, 1900-1939 167

David French

12 The Empire, 1900-1939 182

Martin Kitchen

13 The British Economy and the Empire, 1900-1939 198

B. R. Tomlinson

14 Britain in the International Economy, 1900-1939
212

Tim Rooth

15 The State and the Economy, 1900-1939 229

M. W. Kirby

Part III Social and Economic Developments

16 The City of London and British Banking, 1900-1939
249

R. C. Michie

17 Agriculture, Agrarian Society and the Countryside 270

Peter Dewey

18 Transport, 1900-1939 286

Colin Divall

19 Industry and Services: Employment and Unemployment 302

K. D. Brown

20 Industrial Relations in Britain, 1900-1939 319

Arthur J. McIvor

21 Social Structure, 1900-1939 337

Andrew Miles

22 Consumption and Consumer Behaviour 353

Sue Bowden

23 Social Welfare: Public and Private, 1900-1939 373

Keith Laybourn

24 Housing and Town Planning, 1900-1939 388

Helen Meller

25 Medicine and Public Health, 1900-1939 405

Steven Cherry

26 Education, 1900-1939 424

Roy Lowe

27 Crime, Police and Penal Policy 438

Clive Emsley

28 Leisure and Sport in Britain, 1900-1939 453

Peter J. Beck

29 Religion, 1900-1939 470

Stuart Mews

30 Culture in the Sceptr'd Isle 485

Anthony Sutcliffe

31 The Impact of the First World War 502

Chris Wrigley

32 Britishness 517

John K. Walton

Bibliography of Secondary Sources 532

Index 568