New Labour, Old Labour: The Wilson and Callaghan Governments 1974-1979

by Hickson; Kevin

• ISBN13: 9780415312813
• ISBN10: 0415312817
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781134381609
• Additional ISBN(s): 9781134381609
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-04-09
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

How does New Labour compare with old Labour? What can we learn about the current Government by looking at its predecessor? How does New Labour interpret the record of old Labour in power? We are constantly told that New Labour forms an historic departure from the traditions of the Labour Party. This book, written by a distinguished selection of academics and commentators, provides the most detailed comparison yet of old and new Labour in power. It is also the first to offer a comprehensive analysis of the last Labour Government before the rise of Thatcher and the re-emergence of the Labour Party under Tony Blair's leadership. It reveals much about the history of the Labour Party as well as providing a much-needed context from which to judge the current government. Contributors include: Vernon Bogdanor, Raymond Plant, Jim Tomlinson, Robert Taylor, Polly Toynbee, David Walker, Roy Lowe, John W Young, Ann Lane, Chris Ballinger, Philip Norton, Kevin Theakston, Ed Gouge, Dilys M Hill, BrendanO'Leary, Eric Shaw, Steven Fielding, Stuart Holland, Kenneth O Morgan, Peter Riddell, Robert Skidelsky and Dennis Kavanagh. They compare all the key aspects of the political thought and policy of the Wilson-Callaghan Government of 1979 with the Blair Government making this book essential reading for all of those interested in how Labour, both past and present, governs.

Table of Contents

Notes on contributors	viii
Acknowledgements	xi
A brief chronology	xii
Introduction	1	(2)
ANTHONY SELDON AND KEVIN HICKSON
PART I The framework of ideas	3	(50)
1 1974: the crisis of Old Labour	5	(13)
VERNON BOGDANOR
2 Political thought: socialism in a cold climate	18	(16)
RAYMOND PLANT
3 Economic thought	34	(21)
KEVIN HICKSON
PART II Domestic and foreign policies	53	(118)
4 Economic policy	55	(15)
JIM TOMLINSON
5 The Rise and Fall of the Social Contract	70	(35)
ROBERT TAYLOR
6 Social policy and inequality	105	(18)
POLLY TOYNBEE AND DAVID WALKER
7 Education policy	123	(16)
ROY LOWE
8 Europe	139	(15)
JOHN W. YOUNG
9 Foreign and defence policy	154	(17)
ANN LANE
PART III Government and politics	171	(112)
10 Prime Ministers and Cabinet	173	(17)
CHRIS BALLINGER AND ANTHONY SELDON
11 Parliament	190	(17)
PHILIP NORTON
12 Central and local government	207	(16)
KEVIN THEAKSTON AND ED GOUGE
13 Devolution	223	(17)
DILYS M. HILL
14 Northern Ireland	240	(20)
BRENDAN O'LEARY
15 The Labour Party	260	(23)
ERIC SHAW
PART IV Perspectives	283	(38)
16 The 1974-9 Governments and 'New' Labour	285	(11)
STEVEN FIELDING
17 The industrial strategy	296	(7)
STUART HOLLAND
18 Was Britain dying?	303	(5)
KENNETH O. MORGAN
19 Forgetting history: how New Labour sees Old Labour	308	(8)
PETER RIDDELL
20 The worst of governments	316	(5)
ROBERT SKIDELSKY
Conclusion: reading and misreading Old Labour	321	(14)
DENNIS KAVANAGH
Select bibliography	335	(4)
Index	339