William Gladstone: New Studies and Perspectives

by Roland Quinault, Roger Swift (Editor)

Overview

The figure of William Gladstone continues to loom large in the history of nineteenth-century Britain. Not only was he Prime Minister four times and leader of the Liberal Party for over three decades, but he also took an active interest in the intellectual, imperial, military, cultural and ecclesiastical affairs of the day. Yet despite this towering presence, there is much that still remains obscure about the motivations and beliefs of the man. Divided into five sections, Images, Personal Questions, Officialdom, and Ethics and Internationalism, this collection redresses this imbalance in the historiography, providing new perspectives on Gladstone's life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138110076
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	05/22/2017
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Ruth Clayton Windscheffel, The Open University, UK; Roger Swift, University of Chester, UK; and Roland Quinault, University of London, UK.

Table of Contents

Contents: Foreword, David Bebbington; Introduction, Ruth Clayton Windscheffel; Part I Reputations: Gladstone; a political not a cultural radical, Frank M. Turner; Gladstone and Peel's mantle, Richard A. Gaunt; Gladstone and labour, Chris Wrigley. Part II Images: Gladstone's visage: problem and performance, Joseph S. Meisel; Material Gladstones, Mark Nixon. Part III Personal Questions: Gladstone as friend, Denis Paz; Gladstone as woodsman, Peter Sewter; The health of a Prime Minister: Gladstone 1868-85, Jenny West. Part IV Gladstone as an Official: Gladstone, finance and the problems of Ireland, 1853-66, Allen Warren; Gladstone and the Ionian Islands, C. Brad Faught. Part V Ethics and Internationalism: Gladstone and war, Roland Quinault; Gladstone and the suppression of the slave trade, Richard Huzzey; Gladstone's 'greater world': free trade, empire and liberal internationalism, Deryck M. Schreuder. Part VI Epilogue: Gladstone's legacy, Eugenio Biagini; A selected bibliography, Roger Swift; Index.

Editorial Reviews

'... splendidly edited ... None of the fourteen essays is less than first rate, showing both scholarly learning and searching for novel ways to explore (sometimes) well-trod territory.' Journal of Modern History '... these fourteen essays prove that there is much still to be discovered about Gladstone and much that is pertient to current debates, particularly those concerned with international affairs.' Journal of Liberal History 'With whatever background knowledge one might come to this book, whether versed in things Gladstonian or a novice, there are things here to inform, enrich and challenge.' Australian Journal of Politics and History '... amusing asides occur within the context of essays analysing Gladstone's 'just war' doctrine, as well as his attitudes towards chattel slavery, Irish finance, labour, the Ionian islands and international diplomacy. Three major issues emerge from this empirical mass; namely, the late Frank Turner's distinction between Gladstone's political radicalism and his cultural conservatism, Deryck Schreuder's suggestive rendering of Gladstonian liberalism as method, and the problem of Burke.' English Historical Review 'This substantial volume of fourteen scholarly essays is testament to the continuing attention paid by historians to the life and career of William Gladstone.' Political Studies Review

From the Publisher