DOCSLIB.ORG

In the Simplistic and Sometimes Pernicious Categorisations Which Have So Often Been Applied to the Political Personalities of Th

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
In the Simplistic and Sometimes Pernicious Categorisations Which Have So Often Been Applied to the Political Personalities of Th a LIberaL witHout a Home The Later Career oF Leslie Hore-belisHa In the simplistic and sometimes pernicious categorisations which have so often been applied to the political personalities of the 1930s – appeasers and anti-appeasers, a majority of dupes and a minority of the far-sighted, the decade’s Guilty Men and its isolated voices in the wilderness – Leslie Hore-Belisha has strong claims to be listed among the virtuous. David Dutton tells the story of Hore-Belisha – a Liberal without a home. 22 Journal of Liberal History 65 Winter 2009–10 a LIberaL witHout a Home The Later Career oF Leslie Hore-belisHa rue, he was a member Belisha ticked most of the right his name. Promoted to be Secre- of the National Gov- boxes. tary of State for War when Nev- ernment for most of its The events of January 1940 ille Chamberlain became Prime existence and a Cabinet represented the abrupt termina- Minister in May 1937, Belisha set minister from Octo- tion of an apparently inexora- about reforming the entrenched Tber 1936 until January 1940. But ble political ascent. Isaac Leslie upper echelons of the army and he was also a vigorous Minister Hore-Belisha was born in 1893, He was also War Office. During nearly three of War, who implemented a suc- the son of Jacob Isaac Belisha, a a vigorous years in this key post, he enhanced cession of much-needed reforms; businessman of Sephardic Jew- his standing with the public but he became disillusioned before ish origins. His father died when minister inevitably trod on many signifi- most of his colleagues with what Leslie was only nine months old cant and sensitive toes. Chamberlain did at Munich; he and he only assumed his hyphen- of War, Nevertheless, at the time of pushed – albeit belatedly – for ated name when his widowed his removal from the government a ‘continental commitment’ mother married Sir Adair Hore who imple- in January 1940 no less a figure against the prevailing assump- in 1912. Educated at Clifton, the than Churchill, giving Belisha tions of ‘limited liability’; he Sorbonne and St John’s, Oxford, mented a credit for the introduction of took part in the Cabinet revolt of Hore-Belisha served in the First peacetime conscription, wrote 2 September 1939 which forced World War before returning to succession to express his regret at the course Chamberlain to issue an ultima- complete his degree. The first of events. ‘I hope that it will not tum to Germany without further post-war President of the Oxford of much- be long’, concluded the future delay; he enjoyed the distinc- Union, he moved naturally into a Prime Minister, ‘before we are tion of being sacked from the career in politics and was elected needed colleagues again, and that the government in January 1940, to parliament in 1923. Less than a temporary setback will prove no ‘the last positive achievement decade later his ministerial career reforms; serious obstacle to your oppor- of the appeasers’ in the words of began. He was appointed Parlia- tunities of serving the country.’3 one influential account of these mentary Secretary at the Board of he became Most of the press, which worked times;1 he lined up with those Trade in November 1931, Finan- the War Minister’s resignation brave dissidents who defied their cial Secretary to the Treasury in disillusioned ‘into a big story’, was of a simi- whip and voted against Cham- September 1932 and Minister of lar mind, confident that Belisha berlain at the end of the cel- Transport in June 1934, with a seat before most would soon be restored to office.4 ebrated Norwegian debate on 8 in the Cabinet from October 1936. of his col- As the diarist Harold Nicol- May 1940, the necessary prelimi- Here, Belisha transformed what son recorded: ‘It seems that the nary to Churchill’s elevation to was normally a ministerial back- leagues with country regard him as a second the premiership; and his name is water into a high-profile public Haldane and a moderniser of absent from the cast-list of Cato’s office. He introduced driving what Cham- the Army. The line is that he has Guilty Men, the extraordinarily tests, revised the Highway Code, been ousted by an intrigue of the influential polemic which fixed reduced road traffic accidents berlain did Army Chiefs, and there is a gen- popular perceptions of the 1930s and installed the ‘beacon’ pedes- eral uproar about being ruled by for decades to come.2 In short, trian crossings which still bear at munich. dictators in brass hats.’5 Journal of Liberal History 65 Winter 2009–10 23 a liberaL witHout a Home: tHe Later Career oF Leslie Hore-belisHa Yet there was no place for ‘the biggest political sensation and editors of the London press, Belisha when Churchill formed since hostilities began’. The gov- many of whom were only too his own administration just four ernment had ‘dealt itself a stag- ready to vent the frustration to months later, and he remained on gering blow. It had relapsed with which the inactivity of the Pho- the backbenches for the duration a thud lower into the morass of ney War had naturally given rise. of hostilities, until recalled briefly its own mediocrity.’10 Writing in The issue dominated the head- to the post of Minister of National the Sunday Pictorial, Hugh Cud- lines for several days and report- Insurance in the short-lived care- lipp argued that Chamberlain had ers besieged Belisha’s Wimbledon taker government between May meekly surrendered to an intrigue home during the weekend follow- and July 1945. Losing his parlia- ‘of brass-hats and aristocrats’. But ing his resignation. His opportu- mentary seat of Plymouth Dev- the British public would not stand nity would arise in the Commons onport in the Labour landslide for it. ‘You haven’t’, predicted resignation speech traditionally later that year, Belisha’s ministe- Cudlipp, ‘heard the last of Hore- accorded to departing ministers. rial career was now over. He stood Belisha or of his miserable mean Not for the last time, however, unsuccessfully for parliament in dismissal.’11 According to the Tory Belisha discovered that opposi- Coventry South in the general MP, Victor Cazalet, Chamberlain tion during wartime is a hazard- election of February 1950, before had succeeded in making him a ous undertaking. Criticism that accepting a peerage in the New ‘national hero’.12 Briefly, Beli- was too pointed and vocal inevi- Year’s Honours List of 1954. Aged sha himself seemed to sense his tably ran the risk of being seen just sixty-three, he died suddenly opportunity to seize the highest as disloyal and unpatriotic. Fur- in February 1957 while deliver- office of government. He was, he thermore, he certainly desired ing a speech in Rheims as head confided to Cudlipp, ‘in a won- to return to government at the of a parliamentary delegation on derful position heading straight earliest opportunity and would Anglo-French commercial rela- for the Premiership’.13 no doubt have recognised that tions. As Keith Robbins has writ- Chamberlain himself was suf- the dominant Conservative Party ten, the fates had contrived to ficiently concerned, and aware of remained firmly under Chamber- ensure that Belisha would ‘shine the ability of his media-conscious lain’s control. Recalling recent brightly’, but also ‘shine briefly’.6 ex-minister to stir up trouble in departures from the National Many of Belisha’s private the press, that he took the trouble Government, Lieutenant-Gen- papers, bequeathed to his devoted to record his own thirteen-page eral Henry Pownall, Director of secretary Hilde Sloan, appear to account of the events surround- Military Operations at the War have been destroyed. Much of ing Belisha’s resignation.14 This Office, noted that Anthony Eden what survived, dealing largely was to counter a version of those and Samuel Hoare had got back with his years in office, was pub- events presented by the former into office by ‘“going gracefully” lished nearly half a century ago.7 A War Minister to Lord Camrose of when they had to go. H-B may serviceable, if uninspiring, biog- the Daily Telegraph. This, Cham- think it best to follow their exam- raphy appeared in 2006.8 There berlain noted, contained ‘only a ple.’18 None the less, strengthened have also been useful studies of few statements which are directly by the support of the popular press his period as Secretary of State for at variance with the truth, but (though Harold Nicolson sensed War (1937–40), while his removal by suppression, by alteration of less of a ‘pro-Belisha than an anti- from office in May 1940 has been the setting and by direction of Chamberlain outburst’),19 Beli- thoroughly explored.9 But no emphasis, the whole picture is sha still seemed keen to make the detailed examination exists of completely distorted and gives an most of his chance when discuss- Belisha’s later career and therefore entirely false impression’.15 In the ing the details of his resignation of the failure of a man who, in the meantime there appeared in suc- by any objec- speech with Hugh Cudlipp as late early months of the Second World cessive issues of the journal Truth, as 13 January.20 War, was widely regarded, after certainly with Chamberlain’s tive criteria In the event, however, he drew Churchill, as the most dynamic knowledge and possibly also his back from a frontal attack on member of the War Cabinet, to connivance, a vitriolic attack on belisha had a Chamberlain and his government.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • HEBEELE, Gerald Clarence, 1932- the PREDICAMENT of the BRITISH UNIONIST PARTY, 1906-1914
    This dissertation has been microfilmed exactly as received 68-3000 HEBEELE, Gerald Clarence, 1932- THE PREDICAMENT OF THE BRITISH UNIONIST PARTY, 1906-1914. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1967 History, modem University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan © Copyright by Gerald Clarence Heberle 1968 THE PREDICAMENT OF THE BRITISH UNIONIST PARTY, 1906-1914 DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Gerald c / Heberle, B.A., M.A, ******* The Ohio State University 1967 Approved by B k f y f ’ P c M k ^ . f Adviser Department of History ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my deepest gratitude to Professor Philip P. Poirier of the Department of History, The Ohio State University, Dr. Poirier*s invaluable advice, his unfailing patience, and his timely encouragement were of immense assistance to me in the production of this dissertation, I must acknowledge the splendid service of the staff of the British Museum Manuscripts Room, The Librarian and staff of the University of Birmingham Library made the Chamberlain Papers available to me and were most friendly and helpful. His Lordship, Viscount Chilston, and Dr, Felix Hull, Kent County Archivist, very kindly permitted me to see the Chilston Papers, I received permission to see the Asquith Papers from Mr, Mark Bonham Carter, and the Papers were made available to me by the staff of the Bodleian Library, Oxford University, To all of these people I am indebted, I am especially grateful to Mr, Geoffrey D,M, Block and to Miss Anne Allason of the Conservative Research Department Library, Their cooperation made possible my work in the Conservative Party's publications, and their extreme kindness made it most enjoyable.
    [Show full text]
  • Poverty and Philanthropy in the East
    KATHARINE MARIE BRADLEY POVERTY AND PHILANTHROPY IN EAST LONDON 1918 – 1959: THE UNIVERSITY SETTLEMENTS AND THE URBAN WORKING CLASSES UNIVERSITY OF LONDON PhD IN HISTORY CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY BRITISH HISTORY INSTITUTE OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY OF LONDON The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author. ABSTRACT This thesis explores the relationship between the university settlements and the East London communities through an analysis their key areas of work during the period: healthcare, youth work, juvenile courts, adult education and the arts. The university settlements, which brought young graduates to live and work in impoverished areas, had a fundamental influence of the development of the welfare state. This occurred through their alumni going on to enter the Civil Service and politics, and through the settlements’ ability to powerfully convey the practical experience of voluntary work in the East End to policy makers. The period 1918 – 1959 marks a significant phase in this relationship, with the economic depression, the Second World War and formative welfare state having a significant impact upon the settlements and the communities around them. This thesis draws together the history of these charities with an exploration of the complex networking relationships between local and national politicians, philanthropists, social researchers and the voluntary sector in the period. This thesis argues that work on the ground, an influential dissemination network and the settlements’ experience of both enabled them to influence the formation of national social policy in the period.
    [Show full text]
  • Pakistanis, Irish, and the Shaping of Multiethnic West Yorkshire, 1845-1985
    “Black” Strangers in the White Rose County: Pakistanis, Irish, and the Shaping of Multiethnic West Yorkshire, 1845-1985 An honors thesis for the Department of History Sarah Merritt Mass Tufts University, 2009 Table of Contents Introduction 1 Section One – The Macrocosm and Microcosm of Immigration 9 Section Two – The Dialogue Between “Race” and “Class” 28 Section Three – The Realization of Social and Cultural Difference 47 Section Four – “Multicultural Britain” in Action 69 Conclusion 90 Bibliography 99 ii Introduction Jess Bhamra – the protagonist in the 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham about a Hounslow- born, football-playing Punjabi Sikh girl – is ejected from an important match after shoving an opposing player on the pitch. When her coach, Joe, berates her for this action, Jess retorts with, “She called me a Paki, but I guess you wouldn’t understand what that feels like, would you?” After letting the weight of Jess’s frustration and anger sink in, Joe responds, “Jess, I’m Irish. Of course I understand what that feels like.” This exchange highlights the shared experiences of immigrants from Ireland and those from the Subcontinent in contemporary Britain. Bend It Like Beckham is not the only film to join explicitly these two ethnic groups in the British popular imagination. Two years later, Ken Loach’s Ae Fond Kiss confronted the harsh realities of the possibility of marriage between a man of Pakistani heritage and an Irish woman, using the importance of religion in both cases as a hindrance to their relationship. Ae Fond Kiss recognizes the centrality of Catholicism and Islam to both of these ethnic groups, and in turn how religion defined their identity in the eyes of the British community as a whole.
    [Show full text]
  • ISCHE 2014 Book of Abstracts
    i Published 2014 by ISCHE. ISSN 2313-1837 These abstracts are set in Baskerville Old Face, designed in 1757 by John Baskerville in Birmingham, UK. A writing master, businessman, printer and type designer, he conducted experiments to improve legibility which also included paper making and ink manufacturing. In 1758, he was appointed printer to Cambridge University Press, and despite his personal Atheism, printed a folio Bible in 1763. His typefaces were greatly admired for their simplicity and refinement by Pierre Simon Fournier, and Giambattista Bodoni. Benjamin Franklin, printer and fellow member of the Royal Society of Arts, took the designs to the US, where they were adopted for most federal Government publishing. Baskerville type was revived in 1917 by Harvard University Press and may nowadays be found in Microsoft Word. ii Contents Welcome p. iii Acknowledgements p. viii Conference theme p. x Keynotes: biographies and abstracts p. xi Early career bursaries p. xiv Brian Simon bursaries p. xv Guide to using abstract book p. xvi Abstracts of papers p. 1 (In alphabetical order of authors) Synopses of panels p. 385 (In order of sessions presented at conference) Name index / list of presenters p. 422 iii Welcome To all delegates at ISCHE 36 – a very warm welcome to London! We are looking forward very much indeed to hosting this great event, exploring the immense theme of education, war and peace. My thanks go first of all to the ISCHE executive committee for supporting this event, to the UK History of Education Society as the national hosts, and to the Institute of Education at the University of London for the use of its extensive facilities for the conference.
    [Show full text]
  • The AJR Journal Sixty Years on a Historical Retrospective Anthony Grenville
    VOLUME 6 NO. 1 JANUARY 2006 f946-2006 The AJR Journal sixty years on A historical retrospective Anthony Grenville Sixty years ago this month, AfR The Wiener Library and the AJR. Right to left: Information (the AfR fournal's Werner Rosenstock, predecessor) first appeared. That first General Secretary of AJR, issue, with its poor-quality paper and 1941-82, and editor of blurred print, now seems like a window AJR Information, onto a different world. But the grey and 1946-82, the historian Eva Reichmann, battered Britain of the post-war austerity Alfred Wiener, founder years was also the Britain in which the of the Library, Jewish refugees from Germany and Ilse Wolff, Chief Librarian, Austria settled - their adopted homeland. Hans Reichmann, Chairman of AJR, To read the early issues of the journal is 1953-63, to rediscover the history of the AJR's Susanne Rosenstock founding years. Courtesy of the Wiener Ubrary In its early years, AfR Information was only eight pages long. Its editors were naturalisation who had served in the pseudonym 'Narrator', could afford to Werner Rosenstock, who was to continue Forces, had contributed to the war effort treat the subject with humour, a sure sign in post until 1982, Herbert Freeden in a civilian capacity, or were contributing of anxieties defused. Surveying the (Friedenthal), who left for Israel in 1950, to the national economy. register of aliens naturalised in 1947, the and Ernst Lowenthal, who left for The journal followed the process of authors came across celebrities like the Gennany in 1946 to work for the Jewish naturalisation with close attention, pianist Franz Osborn and the actor Adolf Committee for Relief Abroad.
    [Show full text]
  • Leadership and Change: Prime Ministers in the Post-War World - Alec Douglas-Home Transcript
    Leadership and Change: Prime Ministers in the Post-War World - Alec Douglas-Home Transcript Date: Thursday, 24 May 2007 - 12:00AM PRIME MINISTERS IN THE POST-WAR WORLD: ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME D.R. Thorpe After Andrew Bonar Law's funeral in Westminster Abbey in November 1923, Herbert Asquith observed, 'It is fitting that we should have buried the Unknown Prime Minister by the side of the Unknown Soldier'. Asquith owed Bonar Law no posthumous favours, and intended no ironic compliment, but the remark was a serious under-estimate. In post-war politics Alec Douglas-Home is often seen as the Bonar Law of his times, bracketed with his fellow Scot as an interim figure in the history of Downing Street between longer serving Premiers; in Bonar Law's case, Lloyd George and Stanley Baldwin, in Home's, Harold Macmillan and Harold Wilson. Both Law and Home were certainly 'unexpected' Prime Ministers, but both were also 'under-estimated' and they made lasting beneficial changes to the political system, both on a national and a party level. The unexpectedness of their accessions to the top of the greasy pole, and the brevity of their Premierships (they were the two shortest of the 20th century, Bonar Law's one day short of seven months, Alec Douglas-Home's two days short of a year), are not an accurate indication of their respective significance, even if the precise details of their careers were not always accurately recalled, even by their admirers. The Westminster village is often another world to the general public. Stanley Baldwin was once accosted on a train from Chequers to London, at the height of his fame, by a former school friend.
    [Show full text]
  • Arguing for the Death Penalty: Making the Retentionist Case in Britain, 1945-1979
    Arguing for the Death Penalty: Making the Retentionist Case in Britain, 1945-1979 Thomas James Wright MA University of York Department of History September 2010 Abstract There is a small body of historiography that analyses the abolition of capital punishment in Britain. There has been no detailed study of those who opposed abolition and no history of the entire post-war abolition process from the Criminal Justice Act 1948 to permanent abolition in 1969. This thesis aims to fill this gap by establishing the role and impact of the retentionists during the abolition process between the years 1945 and 1979. This thesis is structured around the main relevant Acts, Bills, amendments and reports and looks briefly into the retentionist campaign after abolition became permanent in December 1969. The only historians to have written in any detail on abolition are Victor Bailey and Mark Jarvis, who have published on the years 1945 to 1951 and 1957 to 1964 respectively. The subject was discussed in some detail in the early 1960s by the American political scientists James Christoph and Elizabeth Tuttle. Through its discussion of capital punishment this thesis develops the themes of civilisation and the permissive society, which were important to the abolition discourse. Abolition was a process that was controlled by the House of Commons. The general public had a negligible impact on the decisions made by MPs during the debates on the subject. For this reason this thesis priorities Parliamentary politics over popular action. This marks a break from the methodology of the new political histories that study „low‟ and „high‟ politics in the same depth.
    [Show full text]
  • George Edward) Lord Peter Thorneycroft Oral History Interview –JFK #1, 6/19/1964 Administrative Information
    (George Edward) Lord Peter Thorneycroft Oral History Interview –JFK #1, 6/19/1964 Administrative Information Creator: (George Edward) Lord Peter Thorneycroft Interviewer: Robert Kleiman Date of Interview: June 19, 1964 Place of Interview: Washington, D.C. Length: 23 pp. Biographical Note Thorneycroft, (George Edward) Lord Peter; Minister of Aviation (1960-1962); Minister of Defence (1962-1964); Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom (1964). Thorneycroft discusses his interactions with John F. Kennedy [JFK] and JFK’s way of creating organic conversation. He covers the relationships between Britain, Europe, and the United States, joint weapon production, and the discussions that were held in Nassau, among other issues. Access Restrictions No restrictions. Usage Restrictions According to the deed of gift signed May 13, 1965, copyright of these materials has passed to the United States Government upon the death of the interviewee. Users of these materials are advised to determine the copyright status of any document from which they wish to publish. Copyright The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excesses of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.
    [Show full text]
  • Leo Amery at the India Office, 1940 – 1945
    AN IMPERIALIST AT BAY: LEO AMERY AT THE INDIA OFFICE, 1940 – 1945 David Whittington A thesis submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements of the University of the West of England, Bristol For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Arts, Creative Industries and Education August 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii GLOSSARY iv INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTERS I LITERATURE REVIEW 10 II AMERY’S VIEW OF ATTEMPTS AT INDIAN CONSTITUTIONAL 45 REFORM III AMERY FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT OF 1935 75 UNTIL THE AUGUST OFFER OF 1940 IV FROM SATYAGRAHA TO THE ATLANTIC CHARTER 113 V THE CRIPPS MISSION 155 VI ‘QUIT INDIA’, GANDHI’S FAST AND SOCIAL REFORM 205 IN INDIA VII A SUCCESSOR TO LINLITHGOW, THE STERLING BALANCES 253 AND THE FOOD SHORTAGES VIII FINAL ATTEMPTS AT CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM BEFORE THE 302 LABOUR ELECTION VICTORY CONCLUSION 349 APPENDICES 362 LIST OF SOURCES CONSULTED 370 ABSTRACT Pressure for Indian independence had been building up throughout the early decades of the twentieth century, initially through the efforts of the Indian National Congress, but also later, when matters were complicated by an increasingly vocal Muslim League. When, in May 1940, Leo Amery was appointed by Winston Churchill as Secretary of State for India, an already difficult assignment had been made more challenging by the demands of war. This thesis evaluates the extent to which Amery’s ultimate failure to move India towards self-government was due to factors beyond his control, or derived from his personal shortcomings and errors of judgment. Although there has to be some analysis of politics in wartime India, the study is primarily of Amery’s attempts at managing an increasingly insurgent dependency, entirely from his metropolitan base.
    [Show full text]
  • Orme) Wilberforce (Albert) Raymond Blackburn (Alexander Bell
    Copyrights sought (Albert) Basil (Orme) Wilberforce (Albert) Raymond Blackburn (Alexander Bell) Filson Young (Alexander) Forbes Hendry (Alexander) Frederick Whyte (Alfred Hubert) Roy Fedden (Alfred) Alistair Cooke (Alfred) Guy Garrod (Alfred) James Hawkey (Archibald) Berkeley Milne (Archibald) David Stirling (Archibald) Havergal Downes-Shaw (Arthur) Berriedale Keith (Arthur) Beverley Baxter (Arthur) Cecil Tyrrell Beck (Arthur) Clive Morrison-Bell (Arthur) Hugh (Elsdale) Molson (Arthur) Mervyn Stockwood (Arthur) Paul Boissier, Harrow Heraldry Committee & Harrow School (Arthur) Trevor Dawson (Arwyn) Lynn Ungoed-Thomas (Basil Arthur) John Peto (Basil) Kingsley Martin (Basil) Kingsley Martin (Basil) Kingsley Martin & New Statesman (Borlasse Elward) Wyndham Childs (Cecil Frederick) Nevil Macready (Cecil George) Graham Hayman (Charles Edward) Howard Vincent (Charles Henry) Collins Baker (Charles) Alexander Harris (Charles) Cyril Clarke (Charles) Edgar Wood (Charles) Edward Troup (Charles) Frederick (Howard) Gough (Charles) Michael Duff (Charles) Philip Fothergill (Charles) Philip Fothergill, Liberal National Organisation, N-E Warwickshire Liberal Association & Rt Hon Charles Albert McCurdy (Charles) Vernon (Oldfield) Bartlett (Charles) Vernon (Oldfield) Bartlett & World Review of Reviews (Claude) Nigel (Byam) Davies (Claude) Nigel (Byam) Davies (Colin) Mark Patrick (Crwfurd) Wilfrid Griffin Eady (Cyril) Berkeley Ormerod (Cyril) Desmond Keeling (Cyril) George Toogood (Cyril) Kenneth Bird (David) Euan Wallace (Davies) Evan Bedford (Denis Duncan)
    [Show full text]
  • The Appeal of Fascism to the British Aristocracy During the Inter-War Years, 1919-1939
    THE APPEAL OF FASCISM TO THE BRITISH ARISTOCRACY DURING THE INTER-WAR YEARS, 1919-1939 THESIS PRESENTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OFARTS. By Kenna Toombs NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY MARYVILLE, MISSOURI AUGUST 2013 The Appeal of Fascism 2 Running Head: THE APPEAL OF FASCISM TO THE BRITISH ARISTOCRACY DURING THE INTER-WAR YEARS, 1919-1939 The Appeal of Fascism to the British Aristocracy During the Inter-War Years, 1919-1939 Kenna Toombs Northwest Missouri State University THESIS APPROVED Date Dean of Graduate School Date The Appeal of Fascism 3 Abstract This thesis examines the reasons the British aristocracy became interested in fascism during the years between the First and Second World Wars. As a group the aristocracy faced a set of circumstances unique to their class. These circumstances created the fear of another devastating war, loss of Empire, and the spread of Bolshevism. The conclusion was determined by researching numerous books and articles. When events required sacrifice to save king and country, the aristocracy forfeited privilege and wealth to save England. The Appeal of Fascism 4 Contents Chapter One Background for Inter-War Years 5 Chapter Two The Lost Generation 1919-1932 25 Chapter Three The Promise of Fascism 1932-1936 44 Chapter Four The Decline of Fascism in Great Britain 71 Conclusion Fascism After 1940 83 The Appeal of Fascism 5 Chapter One: Background for Inter-War Years Most discussions of fascism include Italy, which gave rise to the movement; Spain, which adopted its principles; and Germany, which forever condemned it in the eyes of the world; but few include Great Britain.
    [Show full text]
  • October 2019 PAPER 6: BRITISH POLITICAL HISTORY SINCE 1880
    1 October 2019 PAPER 6: BRITISH POLITICAL HISTORY SINCE 1880 Sources clockwise from top left: United Ireland, The British Library, Jeff Johnston, Tony Withers, Imperial War Museum. FACULTY READING LIST AND LIST OF CORE AND SURVEY LECTURES Between 1880 and the beginning of the twenty-first century, the United Kingdom became a full political democracy based on universal suffrage, and witnessed major party-political realignments as well as the rise of social rights, identity politics and new non-governmental movements. The UK also experienced civil war (in Ireland, 1916-1923 and in Northern Ireland from 1972 to 1998), total war (in 1914-18 and 1939-45), and the loss of a global empire. Throughout the period there was a vigorous debate on the role of the state and the freedom of the markets in a globalized and deeply unequal economic system. This 1 2 was accompanied by struggles over what it meant to be a citizen of the United Kingdom and who had the right to belong. All had profound political consequences, although these have not always been immediately obvious. The party system and much of the constitution remains in place, parliamentary democracy has survived the challenges of Fascism and Communism apparently unscathed, and politicians have spent much of the past hundred years congratulating themselves on the country’s remarkable capacity to ‘return to normal’ in the aftermath of major crises. Many recent or on-going political controversies, such as devolution, the future of the House of Lords, or Britain’s relationship with Europe have obvious parallels with late Victorian debates.
    [Show full text]