Reforming the Constitution: Debates in Twentieth-Century Britain

by Peter Catterall (Editor), Wolfram Kaiser (Editor), Ulrike Walton-Jordan (Editor)

Overview

This collection takes as its subject how and why the British constitution developed during the course of the 20th century. In chapters that analyse in detail the evolution of various aspects of the constitution, this work explores debates about how the constitution ought to operate and the political goods it ought to secure among politicians, jurists and academics. In addition, it looks at the influence of political parties, nationalism, social and economic change, European integration, and the contests in over particular reforms in Parliament, courts, media and on the hustings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780714681078
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/01/2000
Series:	British Politics and Society
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Peter Catterall, Wolfram Kaiser, Ulrike Walton-Jordan

Table of Contents

Introduction; Chapter 1 ‘Efficiency with Freedom’? Debates about the British Constitution in the Twentieth Century, Peter Catterall; Chapter 2 The Decline and Rise of Radicalism: Political Part ies and Reform in the Twentieth Century, Wolfram Kaiser; Chapter 3 Constitutional Law Reform: Inside the Motor, Joe Jacob; Chapter 4 House of Lords and Monarchy: British Majoritarian Democracy and the Current Reform Debate about its Pre-Democratic Institutions, André Kaiser; Chapter 5 The Politics of Electoral Reform since 1885, Peter Catterall; Chapter 6 Transforming Relations of Gender: The Feminist Project of Societal Reform in Turn-of-the-Century Britain, Ulrike Walton-Jordan, Jutta Schwarzkopf; Chapter 7 The Concept of Citizenship in Twentieth-Century Britain: Analysing Contexts of Development, Eugenia Low; Chapter 8 ‘Home Rule All Round’: Experiments in Regionalising Great Britain, 1886–1914, Elfie Rembold; Chapter 9 Territorial Politics and Change in Britain, James Mitchell; Chapter 10 The British State and Northern Ireland: Can the National Question be Reformed?, Brian Girvin;

Editorial Reviews

'Interesting and highly readable ... impressive appreciation of influences on debates from outside the United Kingdom; the incorporating of such an extra-territorial perspective is long overdue.' - Political Studies

'The book succeeds admirably in its primary objective of providing a deeper understanding of the driving forces behind the reform debate.' - Democratization

'Amasses a wealth of detailed argumentation and evidence.'

- British Politics Group Newsletter

From the Publisher

Scholars of history, politics, and economics investigate how and why the famously unwritten British constitution developed during the course of the century. They detail the evolution of various aspects, and explore debates about how the constitution ought to operate and the political goods it ought to secure among politicians, jurists, and academics. They also look at the influence of political parties, nationalism, social and economic change, European integration, and contests over particular reforms. Distributed by ISBS. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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