Rational Choice and British Politics : An Analysis of Rhetoric and Manipulation From Peel to Blair

## Abstract A study of rhetoric and manipulation (otherwise known as heresthetics). Rhetoric is the art of making people believe that the world is as you say it is. A recent example is Margaret Thatcher's claim that ‘there is no alternative’ to her economic policies—a claim that she persuaded many to believe was true. Manipulation, or heresthetics, is the art of arranging politics so that you win. It is connected with the number of issue dimensions in politics. If most issues that come up belong in the same dimension, so that people recognize that one bundle of beliefs and practices is ‘left wing’ and another is ‘right wing’, then powerful forces will drive political outcomes towards the favourite issue positions of the median voter. But if politics is multidimensional, it may give rise to chaos, in the technical sense that the social choice may move by successive majority votes from any position to any other and back. In the spirit of W. H. Riker, this book celebrates those British politicians since 1846 who saw further than their contemporaries, and who either succeeded or heroically failed to move majority‐rule politics to a quite new issue position. The politicians mostly discussed are Sir Robert Peel, the Duke of Wellington, Benjamin Disraeli, W.E. Gladstone, Lord Salisbury, Joseph Chamberlain, Enoch Powell, David Lloyd George, Margaret Thatcher, and Gordon Brown. Contents......Page 12 List of Tables......Page 13 List of Figures......Page 15 1. Introduction......Page 16 2. Irish Potatoes and British Politics: Peel, Wellington, and the Repeal of the Corn Laws......Page 48 Appendix 2.1: Variables Used in the Rollcall Analysis......Page 70 3. Dishing the Whigs: Disraeli, Salisbury, and the Relaunching of the Tory Party 1846–86......Page 72 4. The Great Victorian Realignment......Page 102 5. The Failure of Imperialism: Joseph Chamberlain and Enoch Powell......Page 128 Appendix 5.1: Did Enoch Powell win the 1970 General Election for the Conservatives? Did he win the February 1974 General Election for Labour?......Page 160 6. Lloyd George: Supreme Tactician and Ambitious Strategist......Page 168 7. The Patriot Game: Rhetoric and Heresthetic in the Anglo-Irish Treaty Negotiations of 1921......Page 184 Appendix 7.1: Articles of Agreement for a Treaty between Great Britain and Ireland, December 6, 1921......Page 209 Appendix 7.2: Extracts from the Diary of Erskine Childers 1870–1922, Secretary to the Irish Delegation......Page 213 Appendix 7.3: Preference Orderings......Page 216 Appendix 7.4: The Irish Decision Sequence, 5 December 1921......Page 218 8. ‘There is no alternative’: Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair......Page 219 9. Conclusion......Page 246 References......Page 251 C......Page 264 D......Page 265 G......Page 266 J......Page 267 M......Page 268 P......Page 269 T......Page 270 Y......Page 271 This Study, By One Of Britain's Leading Scholars Of Rational Choice Theory, Explores The Course Of British Parliamentary Politics Over The Last 150 Years. Mclean Marries An Appealing Combination Of Social Science And Analytical Narrative History To The Great Turning Points In British Politics - The Repeal Of The Corn Laws; The Victorian Crisis Of The Liberal And Conservative Parties; The Irish Question And Lloyd George's Solution To It; The New Liberal Origins Of The Welfare State; The Politics Of Race And Empire Under Chamberlain And Powell; And The Politics Of 'there Is No Alternative' Under Margaret Thatcher.--jacket. 1. Introduction -- 2. Irish Potatoes And British Politics: Peel, Wellington And The Repeal Of The Corn Laws -- App. 2.1. Variables Used In The Rollcall Analysis -- 3. Dishing The Whigs: Disraeli, Salisbury, And The Relaunching Of The Tory Party 1846-86 -- 4. The Great Victorian Realignment -- 5. The Failure Of Imperialism: Joseph Chamberlain And Enoch Powell -- App. 5.1. Did Enoch Powell Win The 1970 General Election For The Conservatives? Did He Win The February 1974 General Election For Labour? -- 6. Lloyd George: Supreme Tactician And Ambitious Strategist -- 7. The Patriot Game: Rhetoric And Heresthetic In The Anglo-irish Treaty Negotiations Of 1921. Iain Mclean. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [236]-247) And Index. This engaging and original study, by one of Britain's leading scholars of rational choice theory, explores the course of British parliamentary politics over the last 150 years. McLean marries an appealing combination of social science and analytical narrative history to the great turning points in British politics - the Repeal of the Corn Law; the Victorian crisis of the Liberal and Conservative Parties; the Irish Question and Lloyd George's solution to it; the New Liberal origins of the welfare state; the politics of race and empire under Chamberlain and Powell; and the politics of 'there is no alternative' under Margaret Thatcher.

This engaging and original study, by one of the leading scholars of rational choice theory, explores the course of British parliamentary politics over the last 150 years. It combines social science and analytical narrative history with the great turning points in British politics: the Repeal of the Corn Law; the Victorian crisis of the Liberal and Conservative Parties; the Irish Question and Lloyd George's solution to it; the New Liberal origins of the welfare state; the politics of race and empire under Chamberlain and Powell; and the politics of "there is no alternative" under Margaret Thatcher.

This study explores the course of British parliamentary politics over 150 years. It combines social science and analytical narrative history to analyse turning points in British politics, such as the repeal of the Corn Laws