The Grand Delusion

In 2012, Britain and the Commonwealth celebrate the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II's accession to the throne. The royal family have overcome a number of obstacles in its recent history, yet today it appears to be riding on a wave of popular affection. But has Elizabeth II's reign been a good thing for the UK? Or have the style, rituals and underlying culture of the modern monarchy held Britain back from its potential in the 21st century world? In this groundbreaking and thought-provoking new book, Stephen Haseler argues that the class structure which the monarchy has continued to encourage has retained outdated, yet seemingly entrenched, attitudes which have negatively affected Britain's economy, capacity to innovate and international stature. He provides an alternative political and social history of modern Britain which will be a provocative yet entertaining and informative read in the Queen's anniversary year.

Stephen Haseler is Emeritus Professor of Government and Director of the Global Policy Institute at London Metropolitan University. He holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and has held Visiting Professorships at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University. He has been active in public life in Britain (Labour candidate, GLC Committee Chair and founder member of the SDP) and has appeared regularly on TV (including BBC Newsnight) and radio (The Today Programme). He lives in West London. He is the author of fifteen books on British and European politics, including The Battle for Britain: Thatcher and the New Liberals (I.B.Tauris), The End of the House of Windsor (I.B.Tauris); Super-State: The New Europe and the Challenge to America (I.B.Tauris); The Super-Rich: The Unjust World of Global Capital; Sidekick: British Global Strategy From Churchill To Blair; The Death of British Democracy and Meltdown: How The Masters of the Universe Destroyed The West's Power and Prosperity.

PART I: ILLUSIONS (1945-64)
Introduction: Coronation - The New Elizabethan Age
A World Power: Bevin and Churchill
No End of a Lesson: Suez
'Plus ca Change': Class, Satire, Survival
PART II: REALITY AND CIVIL WAR ( 1968-79)
4. Falling Apart: Devaluation and Decline
5. Heath and the Dash for Europe
6. Civil War: Thatcher's Revolutionary Army
7. Civil War: Britain's Marxist Generation
PART III: THATCHER'S REVOLUTUION PART ONE: FALSE DAWN (1979-1997)
THE THATCHER REVOLUTION ( 1983-97)
8. Victory: Falklands, The Miners, The Split ( SDP)
9. Business in Power: Global Capital and the Global City
10. The Construction of a Global 'Anglo-America'
11. Radical Possibilities
PART IV: THATCHER'S REVOLUTION PART TWO: HUBIS AND BLAIR ( 1997-2007)
12. 'Simply the Best'
13. Blair's New Labour Faustian Pact
14. Blair, the Global Celebrity (Clinton and the Faustian Pact: Globalisation)
15. New Labour and Neo-Con America
PART V: THE RECKONING : CRASH AND MELTDOWN: AN AUDIT OF HUBRIS
16. Meltdown: The Crash of 2007-8]
17. The Hollowing Out of the UK
18. Disaster for the Middle Class: 'The Rich got Richer'
19. Still No Role: New Xenophobia in the Offshore Islands