The Power and the Throne: Monarchy Debate - Softcover

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9780099393115: The Power and the Throne: Monarchy Debate

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0099393115 ISBN 13: 9780099393115

Publisher: Vintage, 1994

This is the most important, wide-ranging and critical debate so far published on the monarchy. It is not concerned with the trivia and tragedy of the Windsor's personal lives. Instead, a glittering range of contributors from across the spectrum of opinion focus on what the monarchy means for Britain today. Do we - can we? - continue to live in what Anthony Barnett calls in a provocative introductory essay, "an empire state?" The essays include Charles Moore's stirring reassertion of the case for the crown and David Hare's denunciation of the "odious rituals of deference." Lady Longford assures us that the royal phoenix will rise from the ashes of the Windsor fire. Christopher Hitchens rebukes Shirely Williams and criticizes the monarchy for invading our privacy. Marina Warner dissects our fear of change. These and many others contribute to a debate conceived as a watershed. A debate that will be seen as having shattered the taboo on serious scrutiny of the monarchy.

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Synopsis:

In 1993 a conference sponsored by Charter 88 and "The Times" discussed the British monarchy. Writers, film-makers, journalists and scholars - and a few politicians - assembled for a day of fierce, controversial and funny debate. This book contains a rewritten collection of some of the contributions to that discussion. Among them are Claire Rayner's memories of the role of the Queen in selling women's magazines; Martin Amis's dream about his night with the Duchess of York; Patrick Wright's analysis of the Prince of Wales's effect on serious debate; Sue Townsend's thoughts on the Queen and us; and Christopher Hitchens's ferocious farewell to British servility. Also included are essays by Anthony Barnett, Tom Nairn, Stephen Haseler, Will Hutton, Lady Longford, Billy Bragg and David Hare.

About the Author:

Charter 88, whose staff and volunteers put together this book, is a campaign for a democratic written constitution and a culture of citizenship for Britain. It started in 1988, on the 300th anniversary of the revolution of 1688. It now has nearly 50,000 signatories and supporters.

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