The Struggle for Civil Liberties
Political Freedom and the Rule of Law in Britain, 1914-1945
Keith Ewing author Conor Anthony Gearty author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:16th Aug '01
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
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- Hardback£82.00(9780198256656)
It is widely believed that there is a golden age in which political freedom in Britain was protected by the rule of law, and by judges developing the common law in favour of individual liberty. In an uncompromising and withering account based on a wide range of official and unofficial sources, this path-breaking study by two of the country's leading civil liberties lawyers exposes the mythical nature of much of this traditional learning. The Struggle for Civil Liberties: Political Freedom and the Rule of law in Britain, 1914-1945 traces the hostile response of the executive and judicial branches of government to the various groups and individuals who confronted the power of the State in the first half of the twentieth century: the wartime peace movements, the Communist Party of Great Britain, the striking trade unionists in 1926, the hunger marches, and the Irish Nationalists. In addressing these issues, the study has a loud contemporary resonance, by placing in a new and alarming historical context the struggles for civil liberties that have been and are being fought by radical groups in contemporary British Society, and during the Thatcher decade in particular. This book will change forever the way in which open-minded public lawyers think about their subject, and will require a fundamental re-examination of the foundations of the discipline.
By providing the theoretical framework, and a fascinating way to evaluate the issue of the protection of civil liberties in Britain, Ewing and Gearty give the reader a context, a question to ponder while reviewing the wealth of historical evidence that they have compiled. Ultimately, that makes The Struggle for Civil Liberties both interesting and successful as a work of legal history. * Twentieth Century British History Vol. 13, No. 1, 2002 *
deserves a place in specialized collections of British legal 2001 constitutional history. * Choice January 2001 *
The book will be of much value to law teachers ... The authors have, with painstaking research, accumulated a good deal of contemporary background ... The use of archive material is exhaustive ... The book is a welcome and controversial addition to the study of twentieth century legal history. * Maureen Spencer, The Law Teacher *
a major study on the history of civil liberties * Ian Leigh THES, Feb 2001 *
a treasure-chest of fascination information and thought-provoking discussion. * David Feldman Civil Justice Quarterly Vol. 20 *
well-researched ... a highly readable history of the British State's responses to a series of perceived threats. * Roderick Bagshaw, Law Quarterly Review, Jan 01. *
As an account of events impinging on civil liberties during their chosen decades the book is a triumph. Writers on civil liberties can no longer have any excuse for thoughtlessly alluding to a golden age. * Roderick Bagshaw, Law Quarterly Review, Jan 01. *
It is difficult to quarrel with the substance of the case which the authors compellingly make. This is an important book which is likely to be the primary reference for future discussions of civil liberties in the first half of the twentieth century. * Roderick Bagshaw, Law Quarterly Review, Jan 01. *
impressively researched and well written ... Ewing and Gearty have given us a valuable and much-needed corrective. * Ian Leigh, THES *
In one of the most refreshing parts of their book they place British common law in its historical context ... This is a powerful piece of advocacy. I'd pick Ewing and Gearty for my counsels any day. * Bernard Porter, London Review of Books *
Review from previous edition In one of the most refreshing parts of their book they place British common law in its historical context . . . This is a powerful piece of advocacy. I'd pick Ewing and gearty for my counsels any day. * London Review of Books *
ISBN: 9780198762515
Dimensions: 234mm x 156mm x 25mm
Weight: 710g
470 pages