商品簡介
During the late-19th and early-20th centuries, the Welsh Liberal Party dominated Welsh politics and, in the process, the Welsh Liberal Party became the first truly Welsh political party. During this period, a new generation of radical and talented politicians emerged from its ranks and left an indelible mark on Wales and the British state. From 1905 until 1922, Welsh Liberals would hold some of the most senior political position in the British Empire, but by the end of World War I the Welsh Liberals had passed their political peak. For the next half century, it was a story of decline and a struggle for the party's very survival, until it once more joined a government in 2000, this time in the National Assembly for Wales. Despite being Wales' oldest political party, there has never been a published history of the Welsh Liberal Party or its successor, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Party. This book charts the highs and lows of this extraordinary party. The comprehensive study includes over 40 interviews with senior figures from within the Welsh Liberal Party, the Welsh SDP, and Welsh Liberal Democrat Party. Table of Contents include: Wales: The Liberal Nation (1859-1898) * The Liberal Zenith and the 'Golden Age' (1899-1918) * The Legacy Spoilt (1919-1945) * The Brush with Extinction (1945-1959) * The First Truly Welsh Liberal Party (1960-1974) * Fighting on the Margins (1975-1987) * Hanging On and Finding a Role (1987-1998) * From Back Row to Front Row (1999-2011)
