Abstract
It is undoubtedly an ambitious undertaking to assemble a collection of essays that provides a satisfactory account of the foundations of the British Conservative Party – a party with deep and complex historical roots in the modern political history of Britain. To attempt such a feat in a small volume like this is even more admirable, and it is an exercise in expectation management for both the prospective reader and editors alike. With this in mind, it is pleasing that this volume provides a particularly insightful, readable and relevant collection of essays on the ideological and historical foundations of the British Conservative Party. It is not only a critical analysis of past episodes in the political formation of the party, but a commentary on what this tells us about the party's future direction in the build-up to the 2015 general election.
Born from the contributions to a 2010 conference entitled ‘Conservatism: Today and Yesterday’ held at Churchill College, Cambridge, this book is structured thematically, rather than chronologically, with chapters focusing on the ideological foundations of the party; the Conservatives and Unionism; beyond Westminster to Europe and local government; Conservatism and party politics; and the future of Conservatism after the coalition. This structuring works extremely well, providing a sense of a dynamic collaboration of ideas within and between the chapters, as opposed to the predictability of many books such as these. Both eminent scholars in the field and early career academics, historians and political scientists develop these themes throughout the book, in addition to a thought-provoking piece from former Conservative Prime Minister Sir John Major. This adds a multidisciplinary and intricate quality that provides both a broad overall perspective and detailed accounts of the foundations of the party.
There are many highlights. The most interesting contribution, from this writer's perspective, comes from Stuart Ball and his analysis of the principles of British Conservatism from Balfour to Heath. Ball's argument is that, at least until the 1960s, the Conservative Party maintained a focus on the maintenance of the constitution, the continuation of the empire and the improvement of living standards for the people. Other contributions, especially from Steven Howell on localism and Robert Saunders on the Ulster crisis, knowledgeably provide insights that show the foundations of much contemporary Conservative policy and thinking, from the democratic illegitimacy of Europe to the Big Society.
While sections on the Peelite and Disraelian legacies would have been welcome, these omissions are noted by the editors, and do not detract from a welcome contribution to the literature.