Description
Book Synopsis* The fourth edition of Kingdom and Fairclough s best selling Government & Politics in Britain is easily the most entertaining and thought-provoking textbook on contemporary UK politics.
Trade Review"This must-have book for any student of British politics could be subtitled ‘Everything You Wanted to Know About Power In Britain But Were Afraid to Ask’ as it is a veritable cornucopia of information, analysis and provocative criticism aimed at a thorough understanding of this country’s government structures, how they work in principle, and how they operate in practice. No dry rehearsal of facts but written to engage the reader."
LSE Review of Books "Like its predecessors, this revised and updated edition is comprehensive and engaging, offering readers a continuous invitation to think critically about the subject. It will be a key resource for all serious students of UK politics."
Mark Garnett, Lancaster University "Kingdom and Fairclough have produced an excellent textbook. It manages to weave together detailed information, historical context and conceptual understanding to provide a sophisticated introduction to British politics today."
Martin Smith, University of York
"Kingdom and Fairclough have produced a detailed, thought-provoking and dissenting analysis of British politics. This book will be an invaluable resource for A-level and undergraduate students of government and politics."
Matt Beech, University of Hull "This thorough, detailed and authoritative text should be required reading for politics students and tutors wishing to acquire a broad historical understanding allied with an excellent range of contemporary examples. Engagingly written with numerous opportunities for debate and analysis, it is an excellent text for sixth-form students."
Paul Brennan, Runshaw CollegeTable of ContentsPreface
Acknowledgements
1 Introduction: Studying Politics
PART I POLITICS IN CONTEXT
2 Ideology: The Western Tradition
3 Ideology: Beyond the Western Tradition
4 The Constitution: the Unwritten and the Unknowable
5 The Global Context: This Sceptred Isle
6 Britain and Europe: Awkward Partners?
7 The European Union: Anatomy of a Superstate?
PART II MOBILIZING THE DEMOS
8 The Social Context: Our Divided Society
9 Mind Politics: What We Think
10 The Machinery of Democracy: the Electoral System
11 The Vox Populi: How People Vote
12 The Political Parties: Masses, Leaders and Powers behind Thrones
13 Party Politics: From Elites to Mass Participation
PART III GOVERNMENT AT THE CENTRE
14 Pomp and Circumstance: Monarchy, Lords and Commoners
15 Parliament at Work: Not to Reason Why
16 The Heart of Government: of Cabinets and Kings
17 The Village of Whitehall: of Ministers and Mandarins
18 Getting and Spending: the Politics of Public Expenditure
19 The Politics of Influence: Who Gets What, When, How?
PART IV THE OUTER REACHES OF THE STATE: WORLDS BEYOND WHITEHALL
20 Territorial Politics: A Disunited Kingdom?
21 The Grass Roots of Democracy: Local Government
22 Trials and Errors: Justice and Politics
23 The Coercive State: the Politics of Law and Order
24 Thinking Holistically
Chronology of events
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
