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The Eighteenth Century, 1714-1815

出版	Nelson, 1974
ISBN	01771105039780177110504
URL	http://books.google.com.hk/books?id=aE5nAAAAMAAJ&hl=&source=gbs_api

註釋"The eighteenth century was one of intense transition and achievement. After the wearying turbulence of the seventeenth century, 'the century of revolution', England began the long process which was to see her advance to a position of unrivalled economic and political supremacy in Europe. Yet, in 1714, the political challenges facing England were enormous. She had rejected absolute monarchy but had yet to devise the constitutional means of handling the inherent tensions and conflicts of mixed-rule. Her relations with Scotland were still uneasy and she had hardly begun to recognise the complexity of the Irish problem: even within her own borders religious toleration was far from being a constitutional reality. Internationally she was alienated from her former allies and had yet to devise any real administrative controls over her recently acquired empire. Equally formidable were the economic challenges, for at the beginning of the eighteenth century England was still essentially agricultural and such industry as she possessed was largely cottage-based and dangerously specialised. In this lucid book Dr. Owen traces the way in which England faced up to and overcame these various challenges. While giving due coverage to the social background of the period, his approach is mainly through a political narrative of the events and personalities of the time, for this was an era in which events of great moments were decided by the personalities and alliances of a limited number of individuals. By concentrating on the detailed interplay of these powerful statesmen, but within a broad historical narrative, Dr. Owen provides an authoritative description and analysis of a most fascinating period in the history of England."-Publisher.