The Forging of the Modern State: Early Industrial Britain, 1783-1870

by Eric J. Evans

Book Overview

In what has established itself as a classic study of Britain from the late eighteenth century to the mid-Victorian period, Eric J. Evans explains how the country became the world's first industrial... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0582089530
• ISBN13: 9780582089532
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Addison Wesley Publishing Company
• Length: 486 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A good manual

Evans's Forging of the Modern State is not controversial history, except insofar as it is driven by socio-economic causes that have become old-fashioned. The title says it all, with early industrial Britain having been the background for the forging of a modern political system, over a span of eighty or so years. Most contemporary historians would reject both such a directional interpretation and its materialistic premise. Indeed, Evans adopts a plain style that is far from the more sophisticated categorisations, based on religion and culture, one finds in a Clark or a Hilton. But Evans makes his choices plain in the introduction, which includes interesting historiographical information. He stands by his approach. And the result is an easy to read, manual-style narrative that is perfect for students and non-initiates alike. Fittingly, the appendix contains a useful compendium of information, with such things as maps, economic tables, and cabinet lists, in addition to the chronologies provided in earlier chapters.