Narratives of 'Thatcherism'

West European Politics

Volumn 21, Issue 1, 1998, Pages 97-119

  Bevir, Mark ^a   Rhodes, R A W ^a  

^a NONE

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EID: 0039664185     PISSN: 01402382     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/01402389808425234     Document Type: Article

References (118)

1. M. Bevir, 'The Individual and Society', Political Studies 44 (1966) pp. 102-14; idem, The Logic of the History of Ideas (Cambridge: CUP 1998).
2. M. Bevir, 'The Individual and Society', Political Studies 44 (1966) pp. 102-14; idem, The Logic of the History of Ideas (Cambridge: CUP 1998).
3. W.H. Greenleaf, The British Political Tradition, Volume 1. The Rise of Collectivism (London: Methuen 1983) provides a well-known analysis of the British political tradition (see also S. Beer, Modern British Politics (London: Faber 1965, 1982). He posits a dialectic between two opposing tendencies: libertarianism and collectivism. Libertarianism stresses four things: the basic importance of the individual; the limited role of government; the dangers of concentrating power; and the rule of law (pp. 15-20). Its antithesis, collectivism stresses: the public good; social justice; and the idea of positive government. Our view of tradition differs. We regard his opposing tendencies as ahistorical. Although they come into being in the nineteenth century, they remain static, acting as fixed categories, ideal types, into which he forces individual thinkers and texts, even different parts of the one text or different utterances by the one thinker. Instances cannot be constructed by comparison with the features of a tradition.
4. W.H. Greenleaf, The British Political Tradition, Volume 1. The Rise of Collectivism (London: Methuen 1983) provides a well-known analysis of the British political tradition (see also S. Beer, Modern British Politics (London: Faber 1965, 1982). He posits a dialectic between two opposing tendencies: libertarianism and collectivism. Libertarianism stresses four things: the basic importance of the individual; the limited role of government; the dangers of concentrating power; and the rule of law (pp. 15-20). Its antithesis, collectivism stresses: the public good; social justice; and the idea of positive government. Our view of tradition differs. We regard his opposing tendencies as ahistorical. Although they come into being in the nineteenth century, they remain static, acting as fixed categories, ideal types, into which he forces individual thinkers and texts, even different parts of the one text or different utterances by the one thinker. Instances cannot be constructed by comparison with the features of a tradition.
5. A Gamble, 'Theories of British Polities', Political Studies 38 (1990) p.405; Greenleaf (note 2) pp.3-8.
6. Our approach is not relativist but we do not have the space to develop the argument here. See: M. Bevir, 'Objectivity in History', History and Theory 33 (1994) pp.328-44; idem, 'Objectivity and its Other', ibid. 35 (1996) pp.391-401;
7. Our approach is not relativist but we do not have the space to develop the argument here. See: M. Bevir, 'Objectivity in History', History and Theory 33 (1994) pp.328-44; idem, 'Objectivity and its Other', ibid. 35 (1996) pp.391-401;
8. idem (1998) (note 1); M. Bevir and R.A.W. Rhodes, 'Narratives of British Government' (forthcoming). R.A.W. Rhodes, Understanding Governance (Buckingham: Open UP 1997) Ch. 9.
9. We recognise there is no one-to-one correspondence between author and tradition. Some authors clearly draw on more than one tradition. Equally, the table and our examples are not comprehensive. We are illustrating an argument, not writing a review article on 'Thatcherism'.
10. For an incisive dissection see T. Honderich, Conservatism (Harmondsworth: Penguin 1991).
11. Gilmour, Inside Right (London: Quartet 1978) pp. 121-43.
12. Ibid. p. 121.
13. Ibid. p. 130.
14. Ibid. p. 132.
15. Ibid. p. 143.
16. R. Blake, The Conservative Party from Peel to Thatcher (London: Fontana) Ch. 11 and postscript.
17. A. Gamble, The Free Economy and the Strong State (London: Macmillan 1988) pp. 170-71.
18. Gilmour (note 7) pp.92-100; idem, Dancing with Dogma: Britain under Thatcherism (London: Simon & Schuster 1992) pp.272-3.
19. Idem (note 7) p.98; F. Mount, The British Constitution Now: Recovery or Decline? (London: Mandarin 1993) pp.74-5; D. Willens, Modern Conservatism (London: Penguin 1992) pp.72-3.
20. Idem (note 7) p.98; F. Mount, The British Constitution Now: Recovery or Decline? (London: Mandarin 1993) pp.74-5; D. Willens, Modern Conservatism (London: Penguin 1992) pp.72-3.
21. Idem (note 7) p.98; F. Mount, The British Constitution Now: Recovery or Decline? (London: Mandarin 1993) pp.74-5; D. Willens, Modern Conservatism (London: Penguin 1992) pp.72-3.
22. Gilmour (note 7) p.97.
23. Idem (note 14) p.272.
24. Idem (note 7) p.236.
25. R. Scruton, The Meaning of Conservatism (Harmondsworth: Penguin 1980) p. 111. See also Gamble (note 13) p.170.
26. Gilmour (1992) (note 14) p.271.
27. Ibid, pp.271, 273.
28. Ibid, p.276.
29. Ibid, p.278.
30. Idem (note 7) p.118.
31. Idem (1992) (note 14) p.278.
32. J.G. Bulpitt, 'The Discipline of the New Democracy: Mrs Thatcher's Domestic Statecraft', Political Studies 34 (1986) p.26.
33. Ibid, pp.21-2; idem, 'Historical Politics: Macro, In-Time, Governing Regime Analysis', paper to the PSA Annual Conference, University of York, 18-20 April 1995.
34. Ibid, pp.21-2; idem, 'Historical Politics: Macro, In-Time, Governing Regime Analysis', paper to the PSA Annual Conference, University of York, 18-20 April 1995.
35. Idem (note 26) p.39.
36. Ibid. p.39.
37. Willens (note 15).
38. One Nation Group, Change is Our Ally (London: Conservative Political Centre 1954).
39. Ibid. Ch.6.
40. Ibid. p. 182.
41. Ibid. p.47.
42. Ibid. p.52.
43. Ibid, pp.52-3.
44. Ibid. p.54.
45. Ibid. p.61.
46. Ibid. p.136.
47. C. Barnett, The Audit of War (London: Macmillan 1986).
48. See, for example, J. Gould and D. Anderson 'Thatcherism and British Society', in K. Minogue and M. Biddiss (eds.), Thatcherism: Personality and Politics (London: Macmillan 1987).
49. R. Skidelsky, 'Introduction', in R. Skidelsky (ed.), Thatcherism (Oxford: Blackwell 1989).
50. K. Minogue, 'The Emergence of the New Right', in ibid, pp.129-30, 141-2.
51. Skidelsky (note 41) p.22.
52. I. Crewe, 'Has the Electorate Become Thatcherite?', in ibid. p.44.
53. For a guide and references see Bevir and Rhodes (note 4) and L. Tivey, Interpretations of Politics (London: Harvester Wheatsheaf 1988).
54. Gamble (note 3) p.407. See also P. Weller, First among Equals (Sydney: Allen & Unwin 1985) p. 16 and G. Wilson, 'The Westminster Model in Comparative Perspective', in I. Budge and D. McKay (eds.), Developing Democracy (London: Sage 1994) pp. 190-93.
55. Gamble (note 3) p.407. See also P. Weller, First among Equals (Sydney: Allen & Unwin 1985) p. 16 and G. Wilson, 'The Westminster Model in Comparative Perspective', in I. Budge and D. McKay (eds.), Developing Democracy (London: Sage 1994) pp. 190-93.
56. Greenleaf (note 2) pp.7-9; Rhodes (note 4) Ch.4.
57. Rhodes, ibid.; Gamble (note 3) p.409; N. Johnson, 'The Place of Institutions in the Study of Polities', Political Studies 23 (1975) pp.271-83.
58. Greenleaf (note 2) p.xi.
59. Gamble (note 3) p.411.
60. Ibid, p.409.
61. See, for example, P. Hennessy, The Hidden Wiring (London: Gollancz 1995); P. Norton, 'Constitutional Change', Talking Politics 9/1 (1996) pp.17-22.
62. See, for example, P. Hennessy, The Hidden Wiring (London: Gollancz 1995); P. Norton, 'Constitutional Change', Talking Politics 9/1 (1996) pp.17-22.
63. M.J. Smith, 'Theoretical and Empirical Challenges to British Central Government', Public Administration 76 (Spring 1998).
64. Gamble (note 3) p.412.
65. D. Kavanagh, Thatcherism and British Politics. The End of Consensus? 2nd ed. (Oxford: OUP 1990).
66. Ibid. p.6.
67. Ibid, p.241.
68. Ibid, p.209.
69. Ibid, p.281.
70. Ibid. p.302.
71. P. Riddel, The Thatcher Decade (Oxford: Blackwell 1989).
72. D. Marsh and R.A.W. Rhodes, Implementing Thatcherite Policies (Buckingham: Open UP 1992) (note 4).
73. Ibid, p.206.
74. Ibid, p.218.
75. A. King, 'Margaret Thatcher: the Style of a Prime Minister', in A. King (ed.) The British Prime Minister, 2nd ed. (London: Macmillan 1985).
76. Ibid. p.116.
77. Ibid. p.118.
78. Ibid. p.122.
79. Ibid. p.126.
80. Ibid. pp. 130-31.
81. Ibid, p.132.
82. Ibid. p.133.
83. Kavanagh (note 56) pp. 18, 238-41, 15.
84. Ibid, pp.243, 272, 276, 318.
85. King (note 65) p.137.
86. See also inter alia S.E. Finer, Thatcherism and British Political History', in K. Minogue (note 41); H. Young, One of Us (London: Macmillan 1989).
87. Riddel (note 62) pp.216-17.
88. Kavanagh (note 56) p.209.
89. D. Marquand, The Unprincipled Society (London: Cape 1988) p. 198.
90. Ibid. pp. 199-204.
91. S. Hall and B. Schwarz, 'State and Society, 1880-1930', in M. Langan and B. Schwarz (eds.), Crises in the British State 1880-1930 (London: Hutchinson 1985) pp.8-12.
92. Ibid, pp.26-7.
93. T Nairn, The Break Up of Britain (London: Verso 1981, revised ed.).
94. Gamble (note 13), Ch.7.
95. S. Hall, 'The Great Moving Right Show', in S. Hall and M. Jacques (eds.) The Politics of Thatcherism (London: Lawrence & Wishart 1983) p.23.
96. Ibid. p.29.
97. Idem, 'Popular-Democratic versus Authoritarian Populism', in A. Hunt (ed.) Marxism and Democracy (London: Lawrence & Wishart 1980) p.161.
98. Gamble (note 13) p.222.
99. Ibid, p.223.
100. Ibid, p.225.
101. Marquand (note 79) p.145.
102. Ibid. p.154.
103. Ibid. p.176.
104. Ibid, pp.211-12.
105. Ibid, pp.72-81.
106. Ibid. pp.81-8, and D. marquand, 'The Paradoxes of Thatcherism' in Skidelsky (note 42).
107. Bevir and Rhodes (note 4). We acknowledge we do no more than introduce dilemmas in this article. For a more detailed discussion of the concept see Bevir (1998) (note 1).
108. Willetts (note 15) p.69.
109. Ibid. p.92.
110. A. King, 'Overload: Problems of Governing in the 1980s', Political Studies 23 (1975) pp.284-96.
111. Gamble (note 13); Hall (note 85); Marquand (note 79) and idem, 'The Paradoxes of Thatcherism', in Skidelsky (note 41).
112. R.A.W. Rhodes, Beyond Westminster and Whitehall 2nd ed (London: Routledge 1988, 1992) p.407.
113. Mount (note 15) p.214.
114. Willetts (note 15).
115. Gilmour (note 14) p.276.
116. F. Fukuyama, The End of History and the Last Man (Harmondsworth: Penguin 1992).
117. Marquand (note 79) p.223.
118. Ibid, pp.231-2.