The Transformation of Urban Liberalism
Subtitle: Party Politics and Urban Governance in Late Nineteenth-Century England
Edition: First edition.
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Published: 2017
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 336
ISBN-13: 9781351126793
Subjects: History; Liberalism; Municipal government; Politics and government; Libéralisme; Histoire; Administration municipale; Politique et gouvernement; Liberal Party (Great Britain)
Description: ""The Transformation of Urban Liberalism" re-evaluates the dramatic and turbulent political decade following the 'Third Reform Act', and questions whether the Liberal Party's political heartlands - the urban boroughs - really were in decline. In contrast to some recent studies, it does not see electoral reform, the Irish Home Rule crisis and the challenge of socialism as representing a fundamental threat to the integrity of the party. Instead this book illustrates, using parallel case studies, how the party gradually began to transform into a social democratic organisation through a re-evaluation of its role and policy direction. This process was not one directed from the centre - despite the important personalities of Gladstone and Rosebery - but rather one heavily influenced by 'grass roots politics'. Consequently, it suggests that late Victorian politics was more democratic and open than sometimes thought, with leading urban politicians forced to respond to the demands of party activists. Changes in the structure of urban rule produced new policy outcomes and brought new collectivist forms of New Liberalism onto the political agenda. Thus, it is argued that without the political transformations of the decade 1885-1895, the radical liberal governments of the Edwardian era would not have been possible."--Provided by publisher.
Table of contents: title: Part, Introduction --; title: chapter INTRODUCTION The Slow Death of Liberal England?  -- James R. Moore; title: part, I Reform and the Urban Radical Tradition --; title: chapter ONE The Rise of Manchester Radicalism  -- James R. Moore; title: chapter TWO Leicester Liberalism: An Uneasy Alliance  -- James R. Moore; title: part, II The Home Rule Crisis in the Towns --; title: chapter THREE Manchester and the Home Rule Crisis  -- James R. Moore; title: chapter FOUR Leicester: Unionism Marginalised?  -- James R. Moore; title: part, III Municipal Government Transformed? --; title: chapter FIVE Municipal Scandals and Realignment  -- James R. Moore; title: chapter SIX The 'Politicisation' of the Town Hall  -- James R. Moore; title: part, IV The Town and the Suburbs --; title: chapter SEVEN Manchester's Suburban Radicalism  -- James R. Moore; title: chapter EIGHT Incorporation -- An Agent of Radicalism?  -- James R. Moore; title: part, V The Challenge of Progressivism --; title: chapter NINE Manchester and the Rise of Progressivism  -- James R. Moore; title: chapter TEN The Labour Challenge in Leicester  -- James R. Moore; title: part, Conclusion --; title: chapter CONCLUSION The Road to New Liberalism -- James R. Moore.