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Spring 2013

History 151cMaker of the Modern World?Imperial Britain1!1" to the present#$rofessor %ames &ernon

For many years Britain was seen as the crucible of the modern world.Over the past three centuries this small, cold and wet island was thefirst to develop representative politics, the idea of the individual, anindustrial economy, sustained and rapid population growth, rapidtransport, a predominantly urban population, mass culture, the nuclearfamily, and, of course, an empire upon which the sun famously neverset. And yet, despite this precocious modernity, imperial Britainremains a deeply traditional society that has failed to rid itself ofancient institutions like the monarchy, the aristocracy and theestablished church.

The class explains this paradox through an account of the rise, fall andrebirth of liberalism!. "e will see how during the eighteenth century

Britain!s ancien regimespawned a liberal! criti#ue of it by those whobelieved free trade, representative government, the rule of law,individual self$improvement and meritocracy would bring prosperityand civili%ation to all who deserved it. "hile liberalism! reformed much

of the ancien regimeduring the nineteenth century it failed to deliverwealth and civili%ation at home &let alone across the empire' or to keepBritain abreast with its new global competitors. Although this lay thefoundation for the growth of Britain(s welfare and security state in the

twentieth century, we will see how social democracy emergedembedded in the remnants of the ancien regime, liberalism and theempire. These multiple inade#uacies of social democracy produced anevangelically reborn form of neo$liberalism! that has subse#uentlybecome the common sense of our age.

The class combines economic, social, political and cultural history.

mailto:jvernon@berkeley.edumailto:jvernon@berkeley.edu

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)ach lecture is supported by a number of short readings consisting ofprimary web resources and a set textbook. These readings should becompleted before each lecture and will be the basis of discussion insection. Assessment will be based upon section assignments andparticipation &*+', a mid$term &*+' and a final examination &-+'.

tudents may write a short research paper &/+ pages' in place of thefinal exam if they declare so by the mid$term.

'ect(res) Tuesday and Thursday //$/0.*+, 0+ Barrows*ffice ho(rs) Tuesday *.*+$1.*+pm, 2winelle 00/-.Mid+term) 3 4arch,inal) /5 4ay, 6$//am-SIs) 7illian 8hisom gchisom@berkeley.edu

Office hours9 "ednesday, /$*pm

ections9 /+*. 4onday, *$-pm, 0+* "heeler /+0. Friday, :$/+am, 03: 2winelle

4elissa Turoff melissa.turoff@berkeley.edu Office hours9 Tuesday /$0pm

ections9 /+/. 4onday, -$1pm, 0+52winelle

.e/(ired tet9

)llis "asson, A ;istory of 4odern Britain, /3/- to the present &"iley$Blackwell, 0+/+' /-+1/*:*55

'ect(re Sched(le

00 0Burke on "arren ;astings ?/366@ichard rice, A 2iscourse on the Cove of Our 8ountry ?/36:@orter, Britain!s empire in /6/1The eterloo 4assacre &reface' ?/6/:@

0:

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The pectator, no.*. Addison7eorge )liot, Felix ;olt the adical, ch.*/The roclamation for the )ncouragement of iety and Eirtue ?/363@The =nteresting arrative of the Cife of Olaudah )#uiano ?/36:@, ch.1

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The eligious 8ensus of /61/, pp./+0$*.amuel miles, elf$;elp ?/660@Thomas "right, Among the 7odsI &/653'ewcastle Jnited v Civerpool ?/:+/@

0/ February. An industrial, urban and imperial nationD"asson, A ;istory of 4odern Britain, ch.3."alter Bagehot, Combard treet ?/63*@, ch./"illiam Booth =n 2arkest )ngland ?/6:+@, reface > ch./)bene%er ;oward, 7arden 8ities of Tomorrow ?/:+0@, intro05 February. The discovery of poverty and the social #uestion4earns, The Bitter 8ry of Outcast Condon ?/66*@, pp./1$018harles Booth!s overty 4apsBlease, ew Ciberalism and the ocial Guestion ?/:/*@n

06 February. )mpire, immigration and national efficiency

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)yles, 8inema in the /:*+s;M)C=K Nhttp9www.grassrootsfeminism.netcmsnode0*-Neckham ;ealth 8entre4ass Observation &/:*3', pp./$/0

0/ 4arch. The eople(s "arD"asson, A ;istory of 4odern Britain, ch./+.8hurchill in the J /:-0ationing in Britainrest, )vacuationThe Beveridge eport ?/:-0@

05 > 06 4arch. pring break0 April. )ngineering the new

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0* April. Thatcher, Blair and neo$liberalismDThatcher on 8hristianity and "ealthBlair on 8hristian ocialism4illenium 2ome

01 April. o class

*+ April. tudent resentations

0 4ay. 8ourse eview

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1988thatcher.htmlhttp://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page3243.asphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Domehttp://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1988thatcher.htmlhttp://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page3243.asphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Dome