A Classless Society : Britain in the 1990s

When Margaret Thatcher was ousted from Downing Street in November 1990 it appeared that Britain had reached a crossroads. After eleven years of bitter social and economic conflict many believed that the decade to come would be more “caring”; others dared to hope that the more radical policies of her “revolution” might even be overturned. Across politics and culture there was an apparent yearning for something that the Iron Lady had famously dismissed: society. Yet the forces that had warred over the country during the 1980s were to ensure there would be no simple turning back of the clock. The “New Britain” to emerge under John Major and Tony Blair would be a contradiction: both economically unequal and culturally classless. "Superb" NICK COHEN, author of What's Left? "Tremendously entertaining" DOMINIC SANDBROOK, Sunday Times "Like his previous histories of the Seventies and Eighties, A Classless Society is an extraordinarily comprehensive work. Turner writes brilliantly, creating a compelling narrative of the decade, weaving contrasting elements together with a natural storyteller's aplomb... engaging and unique" IRVINE WELSH, Daily Telegraph "Ravenously inquisitive, darkly comical and coolly undeceived... Turner is a master of the telling detail" CRAIG BROWN, Mail on Sunday When Margaret Thatcher was ousted from Downing Street in November 1990 after eleven years of bitter social and economic conflict, many hoped that the decade to come would be more 'caring'; others hoped that the more radical policies of her revolution might even be overturned. Across politics and culture there was an apparent yearning for something the Iron Lady had famously dismissed: society. The 'New Britain' to emerge would be a contradiction: economically unequal but culturally classless. Whilst Westminster agonised over sleaze and the ERM, the country outside became the playground of the Ladette. It was also a period that would see old moral certainties swept aside, and once venerable institutions descend into farce - followed, in the case of the Royal Family, by tragedy. Opening with a war in the Gulf and ending with the attacks of 11 September 2001, A Classless Society goes in search of the decade when modern Britain came of age. What it finds is a nation anxiously grappling with new technologies, tentatively embracing new lifestyles, and, above all, forging a new sense of what it means to be British. "Deserves to become a classic" EDWINA CURRIE "Rich and encyclopaedic" ROGER LEWIS, Daily Mail "Excellent" D.J. TAYLOR, Independent "Like his previous histories of the Seventies and Eighties, A Classless Society is an extraordinarily comprehensive work. Turner writes brilliantly, creating a compelling narrative of the decade, weaving contrasting elements together with a natural storyteller's aplomb ... engaging and unique." IRVINE WELSH, Daily Telegraph When Margaret Thatcher was ousted from Downing Street in November 1990 after eleven years of bitter social and economic conflict, many hoped that the decade to come would be more 'caring'; others hoped that the more radical policies of her revolution might even be overturned. Across politics and culture there was an apparent yearning for something the Iron Lady had famously dismissed: society. The 'New Britain' to emerge would be a contradiction: economically unequal but culturally classless. Whilst Westminster agonised over sleaze and the ERM, the country outside became the playground of the Ladette. It was also a period that would see old moral certainties swept aside, and once venerable institutions descend into farce - followed, in the case of the Royal Family, by tragedy. Opening with a war in the Gulf and ending with the attacks of 11 September 2001, A Classless Society goes in search of the decade when modern Britain came of age. What it finds is a nation anxiously grappling with new technologies, tentatively embracing new lifestyles, and, above all, forging a new sense of what it means to be British. "Tremendously entertaining" Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times "Ravenously inquisitive, darkly comical and coolly undeceived ... Turner is a master of the telling detail" Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday "Superb" Nick Cohen "Rich and encyclopaedic" Roger Lewis, Daily Mail "Excellent" D.J. Taylor, Independent The First Popular History Of A Decade That Is Yet To Be Defined Or Anatomised As The 1960s Or 1970s Have Been, A Classless Society Goes In Search Of A Britain Still Reeling From The Conflicts Of The Thatcher Years. Machine Generated Contents Note: Pt. One The Buddha Of Suburbia 1990 -- 1997 -- 1.enter John Major: 'the Devil You Know' -- 2.lads: 'all I Found Was Cigarettes And Alcohol' -- 3.events: 'you're In A Bad Way' -- 4.cool: 'it's Like A New Generation Calling' -- 5.bastards: 'i'm Singing My Song For Europe' -- 6.charters: 'caught By The Fuzz' -- 7.basics: 'i'm A Weirdo' -- 8.resignation: 'i Get Knocked Down But I Get Up Again' -- 9.election: 'things Can Only Get Better' -- Intermission: Patriotism: 'the England He Knew Is Now No More' -- Pt. Two New Angels Of Promise 1997 -- 2001 -- 10.enter Tony Blair: 'i Bet This Is As Good As It Gets' -- 11.royalty: 'storm The Palace' -- 12.government: 'it All Breaks Down At The First Rehearsal' -- 13.generations: 'i've Become So Cynical These Days' -- 14.power: 'i Don't Want Control Of You' -- 15.adventures: 'i Can't Imagine The World Without Me' -- 16.reality: 'what I Really Really Want' -- 17.millennium: 'let's All Meet Up In The Year 2000' Alwyn W. Turner. "When Margaret Thatcher was ousted from Downing Street in November 1990 after eleven years of bitter social and economic conflict, many hoped that the decade to come would be more 'caring'; others hoped that the more radical policies of her revolution might even be overturned. Across politics and culture there was an apparent yearning for something the Iron Lady had famously dismissed: society. The 'New Britain' to emerge would be a contradiction: economically unequal but culturally classless. Whilst Westminster agonised over sleaze and the ERM, the country outside became the playground of the Ladette. It was also a period that would see old moral certainties swept aside, and once venerable institutions descend into farce - followed, in the case of the Royal Family, by tragedy. Opening with a war in the Gulf and ending with the attacks of 11 September 2001, A classless society goes in search of the decade when modern Britain came of age. What it finds is a nation anxiously grappling with new technologies, tentatively embracing new lifestyles, and, above all, forging a new sense of what it means to be British."--Publisher description