Abstract
This article reveals how the emerging historiography of industrialisation in Britain moulded a lasting division between two explanations of its origins, one emphasising discontinuity, individual enterprise, and free markets, the other evolutionary change, the role of the state and the importance of empire. Both views were historically informed but led in contrary directions in the highly polarised politics of early twentieth-century Britain, the former linked to support for free trade and liberalism as the basis of economic welfare, the latter to support for Conservative tariff reform and imperial reconstruction.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 897-918 |
Number of pages | 22 |
Journal | European Journal of the History of Economic Thought |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 6 |
Early online date | 9 Aug 2016 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Aug 2016 |
Keywords
- Industrial revolution
- free trade
- tariff reform
- state
- market
Profiles
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Anthony Howe
- School of History and Art History - Emeritus Professor
- Modern British History - Member
- Global & Transnational History - Member
Person: Honorary, Research Group Member