Globalization has, within academic, political, and business circles alike, become the buzz-word of the 1990s, conjuring an ever growing diversity of associations, connotations, and attendant mythologies. In this volume a distinguished array of international academics assess the contribution of the globalization thesis to our understanding of social, political, and economic change in contemporary societies. They explore many of the exaggerated and overgeneralized claims made about globalization.

This is the first comprehensive examination of the changing relations between ministers and civil servants since 1979. Based on an original account of power within central government and drawing on evidence compiled from over one hundred and fifty interviews, this book provides unprecedented insight into the world of Whitehall. As well as exploring the impact of eighteen years of Conservative government, the authors also examine the external pressures exerted by factors such as the European Union. They conclude by arguing that, despite recent claims about the end of the Whitehall model, many...

This broad-ranging and original text provides an accessible introduction to British politics since 1945, challenging many well-established orthodoxies.