Using History, Making British Policy The Treasury and the Foreign Office, 1950-76

by Beck, Peter J.

• ISBN13: 9781403947062
• ISBN10: 1403947066
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-10-17
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

Despite the enduring rhetorical use of the lessons of history by British politicians to justify present-day policies, the extent to which history has been used as an actual policy input remains a neglected topic. Focusing upon the 1957 Whitehall policy initiative encouraging greater use of history in the policymaking process, this book studies in depth the Treasury and the Foreign Office, the departments making the most positive responses. The findings, enhancing our knowledge of post-1945 Britain, illuminate debates about the nature and use of history in the contemporary world, most notably the relationship between history and policy.

Author Biography

PETER J. BECK is Professor of International History at Kingston University.

Table of Contents

PART I: INTRODUCTION: USING HISTORY IN BRITAIN * British Policymakers and History * Using Official Histories and Public Records to Present Britain's Past to a Global Audience * PART II: USING HISTORY IN THE TREASURY * The Treasury Becomes 'Very Historically Minded' 1957-1960 * Pushing Ahead with 'Funding Experience', 1960-62 * The Public Enterprises Division (PE) as a Case Study, 1962-65 * The 'New Stage' in the Treasury's Historical Work, 1965-68 * Retuning the Treasury's Historical Activities after Fulton, 1968-70 * Moving Towards the Closure of the Treasury's Historical Section, 1971-76 * Using History in the Treasury * PART III: USING HISTORY IN THE FOREIGN OFFICE * The Foreign Office's 1962 Abadan History * Using Butler's Abadan History to Reappraise British Foreign Policy * Using History in the Foreign Office * PART IV: CONCLUSION * Making British Policy, Using and Ignoring History * Appendix: Treasury Historical Memoranda * Select Bibliography * Index

PART I: INTRODUCTION: USING HISTORY IN BRITAIN * British Policymakers and History * Using Official Histories and Public Records to Present Britain's Past to a Global Audience * PART II: USING HISTORY IN THE TREASURY * The Treasury Becomes 'Very Historically Minded' 1957-1960 * Pushing Ahead with 'Funding Experience', 1960-62 * The Public Enterprises Division (PE) as a Case Study, 1962-65 * The 'New Stage' in the Treasury's Historical Work, 1965-68 * Retuning the Treasury's Historical Activities after Fulton, 1968-70 * Moving Towards the Closure of the Treasury's Historical Section, 1971-76 * Using History in the Treasury * PART III: USING HISTORY IN THE FOREIGN OFFICE * The Foreign Office's 1962 Abadan History * Using Butler's Abadan History to Reappraise British Foreign Policy * Using History in the Foreign Office * PART IV: CONCLUSION * Making British Policy, Using and Ignoring History * Appendix: Treasury Historical Memoranda * Select Bibliography * Index