Acknowledgements General Editor's Preface Introduction The Standard of living Debate Were the Working Classes Revolutionary? Trade Unions Laissez-Faire and State Intervention: The Economy Laissez-Faire and State Intervention: Social Management Education Agriculture 1760-1900 Railways A New Age? Depression and Decline? The British Economy 1870-1900 The New Jerusalem? The Impact of Industrialisation.

The industrial revolution of Britain is recognized today as a model for industrialization all over the world. Now with a new introduction by the author, this book is widely renowned as a classic text for students of this key period.

This book traces the economic ideology of the UK Labour Party from its origins to the current day. Through its analysis, the book emphasises key crises, including the 1926 General Strike, the 1931 Great Depression, the 1979 Winter of Discontent and the 2007/2008 economic crisis. In analysing this history, the ideology of the Labour Party is examined through four core themes: • the party’s definition of socialism; • the role of the state in economic decision making; • the party’s understanding of inequalities; and • its relationship with the trade union movement. The result is a systematic exploration of the drivers and key ideas behind the Labour Party’s economic ideology. In demonstrating how crises have affected the party’s economic policy, the book presents a historical analysis of the party’s evolution since its formation and offers insights into how future changes may occur.