Michael Dintenfass provides a challenging account of Britain's economic performance since 1870. He combines a succinct, clearly-written survey of recent scholarly work in British economic and business history with an original interpretive alternative to the institutionalized accounts of Britain's relative decline. Dintenfass addresses both specifically economic questions and socio-historical questions to place Britain's economic history in its broadest context.

The decline of British Industry in the late Victorian and early Edwardian period is the subject of major concern to economic and modern British historians. This book sets out the present state of the discussion and introduces new directions in which the debate about the British decline is now proceeding: Among other themes, the book examines: * the role of the service sector alongside manufacturing * the distinctiveness of the British regions * the state's role in the British decline including an analysis of its responsibility for the maintenance and modernization of infrastructure * the association of aristocratic values with entrepreneurial vitality * how British historians have discussed success and failure, with a critique of the literature of decline.

The decline of British Industry in the late Victorian and early Edwardian period is the subject of major concern to economic and modern British historians. This book sets out the present state of the discussion and introduces new directions in which the debate about the British decline is now proceeding:
Among other themes, the book examines:
* the role of the service sector alongside manufacturing
* the distinctiveness of the British regions
* the state's role in the British decline including an analysis of its responsibility for the maintenance and modernization of infrastructure
* the association of aristocratic values with entrepreneurial vitality
* how British historians have discussed success and failure, with a critique of the literature of decline.

This challenging account of Britain's long-term economic performance examines why British economic growth has failed to keep pace with the performance of the other advanced industrial economies since 1870. It addresses both specifically economic questions - did the structure of the British economy undermine the nation's competitiveness? - and broader socio-historical questions - has British culture been hostile to business achievement and whether British education failed British industry? The book combines a survey of recent scholarly work with an original interpretive alternative to institutionalist accounts of Britain's relative decline.