Past in Perspective – serie

The pace and extent of England's conversion to protestantism between 1530 and 1570 is a subject of lively controversy among historians. In this study the reader is guided through the interpretations of rival scholars, and the complex events of those years. The English Reformation grew out of political action, the existing tensions between secular and ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and the indigenous heretical tradition, namely Lollardy. The dramatic events of the Reformation in Germany and Switzerland also introduced radical and unfamiliar ideas, which were then adapted to the circumstances of the English Church. The establishment of these ideas down to 1570 is analysed in detail with documentary illustration.

The subject of the origins of the French Revolution is one of the most important and controversial themes in European history. This fresh critical appraisal begins with a masterly exposition and assessment of recent scholarly debate on the subject, followed by a lucid analysis, supported by documentary evidence, of the multiple stresses which undermined the Old Regime. The author concludes that a revolution was unavoidable because the Old Regime was incapable of reforming fundamental defects in its political structures, but it was the contingent circumstances of 1788-9 that made the Revolution unexpectedly radical.

Part of the "Past in Perspective" series, this text provides a concise introduction to the events which led to the partition of Ireland, with a discussion of the subsequent development of the two Irish states which emerged from the events of 1920-1922. The author is even-handed in his treatment of the two Irish states and their politics, and deals sensitively with a very complex affair, especially when he deals with post-1968 developments. In addition to a core of chapters which explore a major theme in depth and from a number of angles, this book begins with a survey of the ways in which its theme has been treated in the past by historians and other writers; it includes a section of contemporary documents substantial enough to give an accurate flavour of the relevant theme, and it ends with a bibliography to give the guidance to further study. By these means, as well as the inexpensive format, the series aims to convey the facination of Irish history to a wider public.

This latest addition to the Past in Perspective Series traces the rise to power of Napoleon and also examines the events before and after the coup d'etat of 1799. Recent research has suggested that the Bonapartist dictatorship was by no means a foregone conclusion, the inevitable outcome of a corrupt and discredited revolutionary regime. There is now greater awareness of the difficulties faced by the Directory (as the constitutional system was called after 1795) in steering a middle course between Royalism and Jacobinism and also a greater recognition of its achievements. By the time that Napoleon crowned himself Emperor in 1804, the Revolution was effectively over. An ingenious balance had been struck between democracy and authority, between hierarchy and equality, in short between the old order and the new, a synthesis which disarmed radicals and attracted conservatives. This hybrid of revolution and tradition only lasted for a further decade in France, but it exerted a profound influence over nineteenth-century political culture. The Napoleonic episode thus requires careful attention at a deeper level than the personal and military heroics that usually predominate, as this study will demonstrate.

Spanning the late 19th century and early 20th century, this volume seeks to introduce and understand the evolution of the modern Conservative party. The central theme of the text is the adaptation of the Party within a political system based upon a mass, democratic, secular and urban society and a mature industrial economy undergoing the early strains of relative decline. The study pursues several lines of interpretation including the analysis of the Party through the war, rather than stopping in 1914 or starting in 1918 or 1922 the events of 1914-1918 are explored within a wider argument.

This study re-examines the inter-war period and casts light on the an era of British history which has been considered by some historians as a period of "failure". Malcolm Smith assesses perious historical writings and explores the structural problems of the British economy, society and politics. A selection of documents is also included which are cross referenced with the text.