This illuminating broad-based political and cultural study presents the definitive account of the campaign to abolish capital punishment in the period 1955-69. It comprises a work of contemporary history exploring the theme from a number of angles, both pro and contra, which have not been covered so extensively before.
From the sphere of governmental and parliamentary politics, to the relevant pressure groups, to the role of the mass media, to the significance of the different churches, and the influence of professional bodies, such as those representing the police and prison officers, the book skilfully identifies their interaction with one another. It examines the effect on the campaign of fluctuations in public opinion, and of controversial murder cases such as those of Timothy Evans, Derek Bentley, Ruth Ellis and James Hanratty, which in turn often informed the state of public opinion
The work sets the campaign in the context of the social and cultural ferment of the era (the advent of the permissive society), and contrasts the fortunes of the movement with those of other "conscience issues," such as the legalisation of abortion, homosexual law reform, divorce liberalisation and the abolition of theatre censorship. It seeks to account for the success of the campaign within a relatively short time span in the face of intense public antipathy and a concerted effort by various elements of the establishment to thwart its fulfilment.
It asks why the campaign succeeded when so many others facing lesser institutional obstacles failed, and it asks why it succeeded when it did and in the way it did, and considers whether the success of the campaign can be accounted for by the Zeitgeist. On one level it is a study of the politics of social reform, but at a deeper level it is a study of the way in which social trends feed through into political action at the parliamentary level, and illustrates the process of policy formation in the area of private members legislation and free votes where "party" has voluntarily taken a back seat.
Sprache
Verlagsort
Bury St Edmunds
Großbritannien
Zielgruppe
Für Grundschule und weiterführende Schule
Für die Erwachsenenbildung
Für höhere Schule und Studium
Für Beruf und Forschung
Produkt-Hinweis
Illustrationen
1, black & white illustrations
Maße
Höhe: 234 mm
Breite: 156 mm
Dicke: 22 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-1-906791-98-8 (9781906791988)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
The author, Neville Twitchell, has a BA in history from Birkbeck College, University of London, an MA in twentieth century historical studies from the University of Westminster, and a PhD in British political history from London Metropolitan University, for a thesis on the campaign to abolish hanging in Britain, of which this book is essentially an outgrowth.
1 - Introduction 8; 2 - A Brief History of Capital Punishment 16; 3 - Abolitionist Pressure Groups 40; 4 - The Political Parties 60; 5 - Official Bodies and Professional Associations 83; 6 - The Campaign Continues: - The Homicide Act and After, 1957-1964 97; 7 - The Churches 123; 8 - Public Opinion 151; 9 - Events in the Courtroom: Miscarriages and Causes Celebre 189; 10 - The Campaign Reaches a Climax: - The Abolition Act, 1964-5 199; 11 - The Murder Rate and Crime Statistics 213; 12 - The Print Media 219; 13 - Radio and Television 243; 14 - Cinema and Theatre 262; 15 - Abolition and After, 1965-69 278; 16 - The Retentionists Strike Back 288; 17 - The Campaign in Context 303; 18 - Retrospect 321; Appendices 337; Bibliography 361.
