Product Description

In 1945 Britain emerged triumphant and victorious from the Second World War. On July 26, after a landslide election victory by the Labour party, Winston Churchill resigned and Clement Attlee became Prime Minister. The country looked forward to the 'New Jerusalem' that Labour had promised, a land in which poverty, ill health, slums and unemployment would be banished by lavish state expenditure. But by 1950 Britain was impoverished, the 'new Jerusalem' was a shaky structure, only half built. Why?

In this brilliant, savage and original book, based on fascinating new material from Cabinet and other Whitehall records, Correlli Barnett shows the enormous double cost of 'New Jerusalem', and points out the destructive contradictions between mistaken strategies and their consequences.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #445969 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-10
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 514 pages

Customer Reviews

Fascinating book!
The most fascinating, interdisciplinary study of this so critical period that I have read. Taking into account both historic, cultural and economic aspects, this book presents a convincing tale of British economic decline in the post war years. A must for everybody wishing to understand the dynamics of what happened. You will have to fight your way through perhaps a few too many numbers, but it is worth the effort. I have read the book several times now!

A difficult but worthwhile book
Correlli Barnett sets out to show the failings of the Atlee government following the Second World War. He shows that all kinds of economic opportunities awaited but were ignored or implemented in a half hearted manner and eventualy squandered. I have to say that I think Atlee did as well as he could in view of all the circumstances and I doubt any Polititian of the age would have been brave enough to follow Barnett's advice. Still it does raise important questions on the nature of government both then and now.

Daming critique of postwar British industry
Following on from the "Audit of War", this volume examines Britain's weak postwar economic performance. Problems include a failure to innovate and invest, alongside an arrogant disregard for consumers in export markets.