Book Description

The diverse coalition of forces that came to be known as the Liberal Party dominated British politics in the period between 1830 and 1886. This book seeks to account for the remarkable success of the Liberals by analysing who they were, both in parliament and in the constituencies, and showing how they managed to interrelate. It is a striking feature of nineteenth-century political history that, at a time of continuous and profound economic and social change, there existed in Britain a broadly based coalition of the 'left-centre' which was arguably more effective, from a long-term point of view, than the Labour Party which superseded it in the 1920s. But at the same time, as this book emphasises, the dominance of the Liberals was seldom a simple matter, let alone a foregone conclusion. The complex story of the Liberal ascendancy requires the interweaving of high political strategy, the practical business of government, the electoral position of the party, and the development of Liberal ideology. It also involves assessments of the personalities of outstanding individuals such as Earl Grey, Lord John Russell, Lord Palmerston, and W. E. Gladstone. Finally, it is necessary to consider the extent to which the Liberal Party by the late-nineteenth century was in a state of crisis. The great Liberal schism of 1886, over the question of Home Rule for Ireland, is examined, and its consequences related to other evidence pointing to the erosion of sections of Liberal electoral support, and challenges to the hegemony of Liberal ideas.