Since 1945 Great Britain has gone through many changes: the loss of an empire, economic decline and resurgence, entry into Europe, evolution into a multicultural society, and devolution, to name only the more obvious. In this book, six distinguished historians each take a theme - politics, international relations, high, middle , and low culture, social and economic policies, the nature of civil society, and Ireland - and set out the fundamental nature and development of each. These are set within the wider context of the Cold War, and its impact both internationally and domestically; of the impact on politics, economics and foreign policy of the decline of the pound and the attempts to arrest this; and finally, of the growing impact of Europe.
Introduction ; 1. Governors, governance and governed: British politics since 1945 ; 2. Economic growth, economic decline ; 3. Tradition and transformation: society and civil society in Britain, 1945-2001 ; 4. Two cultures - one or many? ; 5. Britain and the world since 1945: narratives of decline or transformation? ; 6. Ireland 1945-2001: between 'Hope and History' ; Conclusion: fin de siecle ; Further Reading ; Chronology ; Maps ; Index
