Penguin books and political change : Britain's meritocratic moment, 1937-1988

This book employs the history of Penguin Books to offer a new account of Britain’s post-war politics. This book explores the political ideas that shaped post-war Britain. It does so by examining the history of Penguin Books, a publisher that played an important role in circulating ideas. By situating the publisher's books in their respective historical contexts, the book constructs a new story about post-war Britain. It suggests that the wartime period ushered in a 'meritocratic moment' in Britain's political history that was eclipsed from the mid-1970s Front matter Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Why war? Where do we go from here? The rise of the meritocracy The stagnant society Matters of principle Free to choose Conclusion Bibliography Index