W. D. Rubinstein Knihy

Capitalism, Culture and Decline in Britainis an original and controversial analysis of the thesis, made familiar in recent years by Martin J. Wiener, Anthony Sampson, Correlli Barnett, and others, which states that Britain's alleged economic decline since 1870 was the result of deep-seated anti-industrial factors in Britain's culture. Rubinstein argues, from a novel perspective, that Britain was never an industrial, but always a commercial/financial economy whose comparative advantage lay within that area. Rubinstein illustrates that the much-criticized features of Britain's class system, such as the public schools, were actually efficient instruments to enhance this competitive advantage. He closely examines Britain's cultural values and elite structures to demonstrate that these were both rational and modern, arguing that Britain's standard of living has been virtually identical to all countries whose economies have been considered more "successful." Emphasizing the centralimportance of London-based finance and addressing socialism, Keynesianism, and Thatcherism,Capitalism, Culture, and Decline inBritainpresents an original and challenging contribution to this debate.

The book offers an extensive biographical account of 884 individuals in Britain who left estates valued at £100,000 or more from 1809 to 1914. Each entry provides detailed insights into their occupations, family backgrounds, education, marriages, children, religious affiliations, political involvement, and land ownership. Authored by Professor Rubinstein, a leading expert on British wealth-holding, this work serves as a significant resource for understanding the socio-economic landscape of the era.

An interpretation of the social and political structure of Victorian Britain. Arguing from an original and cohesive framework, it examines the period by looking at the three separate elites in British society: the aristocracy; the London-based commercial, financial and professional elite; and the northern manufacturing elite. It covers all the central issues and events between 1815 and 1906. This is the fourth volume in Arnold's series on the political and social history of Britain.