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出版者:

作者:Lansberry, Frederick 编

出品人:

页数:320

译者:

出版时间:2001-10

价格:$ 101.70

装帧:

isbn号码:9780851155869

丛书系列:

图书标签:

• Kent
• Local History
• British History
• Political History
• Government
• 17th Century
• 18th Century
• 19th Century
• Social History
• England

Kent's Crucible: Power, People, and the Shaping of a County (1640-1914) This volume delves into the dynamic evolution of government and politics within Kent, England, tracing its trajectory from the tumultuous mid-17th century through the dawn of the 20th century. Spanning over two and a half centuries, it examines the intricate interplay of local governance, national political currents, and the evolving aspirations of its populace, ultimately revealing how these forces forged the identity and destiny of this pivotal English county. The narrative commences at a watershed moment: the eve of the English Civil War. We explore the existing structures of county administration, the roles of powerful landed families, and the nascent tensions that would soon erupt into civil conflict. The impact of the war on Kentish society, its political allegiances, and the subsequent reorganization of local power structures are meticulously analyzed. From the Commonwealth period onwards, the book scrutinizes the restoration of traditional hierarchies and the enduring influence of the aristocracy and gentry in county affairs. As the nation navigated the Glorious Revolution and the subsequent Hanoverian era, Kent’s political landscape underwent subtle yet significant transformations. This section of the book investigates the mechanisms of parliamentary representation, the influence of patronage, and the development of local institutions such as quarter sessions, the militia, and poor relief. We chart the rise of new economic interests and their burgeoning influence on political decision-making. The agrarian economy, the burgeoning coastal trade, and the strategic importance of Kent as a gateway to the continent all played a crucial role in shaping its political character. The 18th century saw the consolidation of established power but also the stirrings of dissent and reform. The book examines the social dynamics of the period, the role of nonconformist communities, and the early manifestations of popular political engagement, albeit often constrained. The impact of national events, such as Jacobite rebellions and the wars with France, on Kentish life and its political responses are also explored. The seismic shifts of the 19th century are a central focus. The Industrial Revolution, while perhaps less transformative for Kent's core economy than for some northern counties, still introduced new social classes, urban growth in coastal towns, and altered patterns of communication and transport. The book investigates the Great Reform Act of 1832 and its consequences for Kent's parliamentary constituencies, the subsequent electoral reforms, and the gradual expansion of suffrage. Crucially, this volume explores the emergence of new forms of political organization and activism. The rise of trade unions, working-class movements, and the burgeoning women's suffrage campaigns are examined within the Kentish context. We analyze the impact of social reformers, philanthropic endeavors, and the evolving role of local government in addressing issues of public health, education, and infrastructure. The development of municipal corporations, the establishment of elected school boards, and the increasing professionalization of local administration are charted in detail. The book also considers the evolving relationship between Kent and the national government. It highlights how parliamentary legislation and government policies were implemented, adapted, or resisted at the local level. The administrative functions of the county, from maintaining roads and bridges to enforcing laws and managing prisons, are laid bare. The influence of national political parties, such as the Whigs, Liberals, Conservatives, and later the Labour Party, on Kentish elections and political discourse is carefully traced. Furthermore, Kent's Crucible recognizes the importance of the individual and collective voices that shaped Kent's political narrative. It seeks to understand the motivations and actions of local politicians, magistrates, landowners, reformers, and ordinary citizens. Through an examination of parliamentary debates, local council minutes, newspapers, personal correspondence, and other archival sources, the volume offers a nuanced understanding of political power, its exercise, and its contestation. By the close of the period under review, 1914, Kent stood as a county demonstrably shaped by over two centuries of political and governmental change. This book provides a comprehensive and accessible account of that transformation, offering valuable insights into the enduring themes of local autonomy, national integration, and the ceaseless evolution of political life in England. It is a study of how power was wielded, challenged, and ultimately redefined in one of England's most historically significant regions, setting the stage for the even more profound changes that lay ahead.

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我必须承认，初翻这本书时，对其中大量出现的拉丁文法律术语和冗长的议会辩论摘录感到有些眩晕。它对肯特郡宗教派系，特别是浸信会与卫理公会，在19世纪中后期如何渗透并重塑地方慈善机构和济贫院管理层的描写，展现了一种令人不安的细致。作者似乎对“权力如何通过道德话语进行包装”这一主题有着近乎偏执的兴趣。他没有简单地将这些宗教团体视为“善行者”，而是冷静地揭示了他们在争夺对社会福利资源的控制权时所采取的策略。这种对意识形态工具化的揭露，使得本书不仅仅停留在政治史的层面，更触及了社会史的核心命题。这种对细微之处的执着，使得肯特郡的“政治”远比我们想象的要复杂和多维，它不是简单的贵族间的博弈，而是渗透到每一个公共机构的微观权力斗争，这才是它最引人入胜的魅力所在，尽管阅读过程需要极大的耐心去消化那些看似枯燥的细节。

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这本书的篇幅之巨，资料之详实，简直令人叹为观止。它细致入微地描绘了肯特郡在那个动荡年代的政治生态，仿佛用一把锋利的手术刀，精准地剖开了地方权力的运作机制。作者在梳理地方精英家族的更迭与联姻时，展现出了令人惊叹的耐心和洞察力，那些曾经在地方议会、治安法庭乃至教区委员会中翻云覆雨的人物，他们的动机、他们的派系斗争，都被还原得栩栩如生。阅读过程中，我时常感觉自己仿佛置身于18世纪末的郡议会大厅，亲眼目睹保守党与辉格党代理人之间那些表面客气实则暗流汹涌的交锋。尤其值得称赞的是，作者并未将焦点仅仅停留在上层贵族的斗争上，而是深入到了选区改革的基层影响，探讨了工业化和城市化如何一点点侵蚀掉旧有的土地贵族权力基础。这种宏大叙事与微观史实的完美结合，让这本书超越了一般的区域史著作，具有了深刻的社会学意义。对于任何想了解英国地方政治如何从传统向现代转型的学者来说，这无疑是一部不可或缺的奠基之作，它提供的经验教训，即便在今天，依然能引发我们的深思。

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坦白说，这本书的阅读体验是相当“硬核”的，它几乎不提供任何情感上的慰藉，全篇充斥着对档案文书、选举名册和法庭记录的冰冷梳理。我花了很长时间才适应作者那种近乎百科全书式的叙事风格。如果你期望读到引人入胜的个人传记或者充满戏剧性的政治阴谋，你可能会感到失望。然而，一旦你沉下心来，去追随作者对1832年改革法案后肯特郡选区划分如何影响当地产业利益集团的分析时，那种智力上的满足感是无与伦比的。特别是关于“自由投票权”在地方实践中如何被地方乡绅巧妙地规避和操纵的章节，其逻辑推演之严密，简直让人拍案叫绝。这本书的价值并不在于它讲了一个故事，而在于它提供了一套理解特定历史情境下权力结构运作的严谨分析框架。它像一本厚重的工具书，需要读者投入极大的精力和专注力，但回报是深刻的、结构性的理解，而非肤浅的知识点堆砌。

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如果说有什么地方让我感到有些许遗憾，那或许是作者对一战前夕，工会组织和新兴社会主义思潮在肯特郡港口和矿区所引发的社会运动关注度相对不足。尽管作者强调本书的重点是“传统政治结构”的延续与瓦解，但在分析1900年之后的权力转移时，似乎对自下而上的、更具革命性的社会力量的描绘略显保守和简略。当然，这或许是由于当时的史料在地方层面记录不全所致。但即便如此，作者在处理1880年代农业工人权利觉醒部分时所展示出的严谨性，依然值得称道。他没有将这些运动简单地归结为“失控的民众”，而是细致考察了地方治安官如何利用现有的公共秩序法案，巧妙地将抗议活动限制在法律的框架内，从而维持了表面的“和平”。这种对权力应对策略的关注，使得本书的价值得以维持在一个极高的水平，它展示了稳定秩序背后的复杂技术操作。

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这本书的叙事节奏是缓慢而坚定的，它像一条缓缓流淌的河流，最终汇入1914年那个历史的巨大海洋。最让我印象深刻的是作者对“地方精英认同”的探讨。在十九世纪末，随着全国性政党的意识形态渗透加剧，肯特郡本土的贵族和富商们是如何在维护其地方特殊利益与服从于威斯敏斯特的党鞭之间进行拉扯和平衡的？作者通过对比不同家族成员在议会投票记录上的分歧，生动地刻画了这种身份焦虑。他们既要维持“肯特人”的尊严和特权，又必须适应一个日益统一和标准化的国家政治体系。这种内部的张力，被作者捕捉得极其精准，用一种近乎人类学的冷静笔调呈现出来。这不仅仅是一本关于选举和法案的历史书，它更是对一个特定阶层在面对现代化浪潮时，心理状态和生存策略的深刻剖析，读来令人唏嘘。

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