Product Description

This book examines the structural development of the Secret Intelligence Service from its inception to the end of the Cold War.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12846 in Books
• Published on: 2004-09-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 408 pages

From the Back Cover
MI6 and the Machinery of Spying is a study of the organisational evolution of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (SIS aka MI6). It traces the development of the agency's internal structure from its inception until the end of the Cold War. The analysis examines how SIS' management structure has been driven by its operational environment on the one hand and its position within the machinery of British central government on the other. Particularly close attention is paid to the agency's institutional links to its consumers in Whitehall and Downing Street, as well as to the causes and consequences of its operational organisation and provisions for counter-espionage and security. The book presents a detailed response to assertions that the SIS was historically chronically mismanaged and badly organised, and to claims that it is unaccountable to political and public oversight. MI6 and the Machinery of Spying provides a critical evaluation of where SIS' organisation actually contributed both to its failures and its successes. It also argues that where SIS activities have resulted in public disasters and scandals the reason has usually been less its lack of accountability and control than the very high degree of control and direction exercised by opportunistic politicians and the senior Civil Servants.

About the Author
Philip H. J. Davies is one of a growing number of British academic scholars of intelligence, but the only academic to approach the subject in terms of political science rather than history. He wrote his PhD at the University of Reading on the topic 'Organisational Development of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service 1909-1979', and has published extensively on intelligence and defence issues. After completing his PhD he taught for a year and a half on the University of London external degree programme in Singapore before returning to the UK to lecture at the University of Reading for two years. He was formerly Associate Professor of International and Security Studies at the University of Malaya in Malaysia where he not only conducted his research but provided a range of training and consultancy services to the Malaysian intelligence and foreign services. He is now based at Brunel University, UK

Customer Reviews

the BEST book on MI6 structure
This is the book I've been looking for for quite a long time. Many books on intelligence and spy agencies are frustrating as they have no diagram showing the structure and organization of the said agency.This book is entirely the opposite,it's whole purpose is to show how the British Intelligence agency known as MI6(or more properly SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE, SIS) has evoved over the years since its inception. Around 20 full page diagrams throughout the book from 1918 up to diagrams for 1977,1981,1989 and finally 1995.The diagrams are much more detailed than I've ever seen before(and I've read many books on the subject),showing how MI6 structure has changed due to changing circumstances. There is even a diagram showing the 1944 wartime structure of the then SECTION V which dealt with counterespionage against Germany.
Two final points the author is staunchly pro MI6,criticism is saved for politicians and civil servants not the spooks,so don't expect stuff on the supposed plots against Harold Wilson in the 70's. Not much on Rhodesia at the time of UDI either.
Secondly there's nothing on the intelligence disaster on Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction.
Highly recommended for the evolution of Britain's espionage agency.

Davies continues to produce solid work
Davies has again put in a large amount of work into this book which is a must for MA students in War and Intelligence studies alike, or James Bond wannabes. Unlike Dorrils book which is an inch thick, Davis manages to cram a lot of useful information into significantly less pages. I would recommend this to all those who have interest in this subject area, as one of a slack handful that is a notable academic modern work.

An Amazing Work.
An amazing work of scholarship on one of the most secretive organisanations in the world. A must for anyone interested in the world of intelligence - Philip Davies is to be congratulated!