In Britain, the erosion of confidence was not sudden but reflected the gradual acceptance of a pessimistic interpretation of history. The Great Victorians had been dismissed as hypocrites. The imperial story was to be seen merely as one of racism and incompetence. Solutions were not looked for within Britain's values of capacities. Things had come to pass where it was virtually impossible to mention the word liberty in the Ancient universities.
This important new book is premised upon a belief that through one person - Margaret Thatcher - Britain succeeded in completely transforming itself by correctly comprehending the malaise, bringing it to an end and restoring itself through an assertion of British values and resourcefulness. The book will elucidate and evaluate that premise.
There is a huge gulf in British politics between Thatcher's critics and defenders. This book is no hagiography or political manifesto of any sort. To use Keynes's memorable phrase, the aim of the book is to study the present in the light of the past for the purposes of the future.
At a time when the Conservative party is floundering and Tory political philosophy is once again struggling to articulate itself, this book has quite exceptional importance and significance.
