Understanding Decline: Perceptions and Realities of British Economic Performance

by P.F. Clarke (Editor), Clive Trebilcock (Editor)

The theme of British economic decline is inescapable in contemporary debates about Britain's economic performance and sense of national identity. Understanding Decline is a serious contribution to an important argument, approached in a way that is accessible not only to specialist academics but to students of economics, history and politics. The volume includes case studies through which the reality of decline can be explored, while differing perceptions of decline are examined in a number of essays dealing with ideas and policy issues.

Genres: History, Economics

332 pages, Hardcover

First published December 11, 1997

About the author

Dr. Peter Frederick Clarke was Professor of Modern British History from 1991 to 2004 at Cambridge University and Master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, from 2000 to 2004. He completed his BA in 1963, his MA and PhD in 1967, and his LittD in 1989 all at Cambridge University. A Fellow of the British Academy, he reviews books regularly for The Times Literary Supplement, the London Review of Books and the Sunday Times.

Reviews

[Andres Cordoba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular book covering a variety of thinkers views on what decline actually entails in Britain. 'Apocalypse When?' offers a great review on the Conservative larger than life thinkers. 'Keynes, New Jerusalem, and British Decline' offers a powerful opposition to those who think Keynes supported Labour completely and a reexamination of Britain's role in the world. '1945-51: Years of Recovery or a stage of economic decline?' offers a powerful rebuke of the accomplishments of one of the supposedly most accomplished administrations in Britain. The only chapter I would say is less than ideal is the contrived and ultimately ambiguous and unhelpful comparison offered in 'Measuring Economic Decline'. Most importantly, decline is only relative and psychological. Practically, all standards have increased across the board since the end of WWII.