The late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries are commonly
characterised as an age of ‘neoliberalism’ in which individualism,
competition, free markets and privatisation came to dominate
Britain’s politics, economy and society. This historical framing has
proven highly controversial, within both academia and contemporary
political and public debate. Standard accounts of neoliberalism
generally focus on the influence of political ideas in reshaping
British politics; according to this narrative, neoliberalism was a
right-wing ideology, peddled by political economists, think-tanks and
politicians from the 1930s onwards, which finally triumphed in the
1970s and 1980s. The Neoliberal Age? suggests this narrative is too
simplistic. Where the standard story sees neoliberalism as right-wing,
this book points to some left-wing origins, too; where the standard
story emphasises the agency of think-tanks and politicians, this book
shows that other actors from the business world were also highly
significant. Where the standard story can suggest that neoliberalism
transformed subjectivities and social lives, this book illuminates
other forces which helped make Britain more individualistic in the
late twentieth century. The analysis thus takes neoliberalism
seriously but also shows that it cannot be the only explanatory
framework for understanding contemporary Britain. The book showcases
cutting-edge research, making it useful to researchers and students,
as well as to those interested in understanding the forces that have
shaped our recent past. Praise for The Neoliberal Age? Britain since
the 1970s 'This authoritative and invaluable critique by a range of
leading historians challenges the widely accepted claim that a small
group of New Right, pro-market and anti-welfare thinkers were the
central architects of the post-1980 political economy.' The Political
Quarterly 'This is an interesting book, testing the neoliberal lens on
a range of policies and perspectives, and finding it distorts the
messiness of the historical landscape.' The Enlightened Economist 'The
Neoliberal Age? Britain since the 1970s is well worth reading and not
only because the generous publishers allow you to download it free.'
Nick Cohen, The Observer 'It is no exaggeration...to call The
Neoliberal Age? a landmark text, and it deserves to be read by
students of contemporary Britain for many years to come.' Contemporary
British History 'The Neoliberal Age? is a major success and a vital
contribution to the field. It is likely to become a touchstone text in
the historiography of Britain after the 1970s.' Twentieth Century
British History
Les mer
Britain since the 1970s
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781787356887
Publisert
2024
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Ingram Publisher Services UK- Academic
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok