THE
LEARNING CURVE Spring 2012
Art History, Archaeology, Astronomy, History, Literature, Philosophy, Music
Prime Ministers and British History 1721 - Present
With the advent of Sir Robert Walpole as the monarch’s chief adviser in 1721, the United Kingdom began an experiment in parliamentary government that has lasted to the present day. During this period 53 individuals have held the office of prime minister: one for nearly 21 years and another for 119 days. The office has attracted the good, bad, and the now forgotten. This class will explore the reputations of these persons against the contexts of their tenure.
Week 1: Origins and Development (1721-1783)
The origins of the office of prime minister, like many British constitutional arrangements, are murky. The first two Hanoverian monarchs required special guidance and they increasingly relied on a single adviser. When George III challenged this evolution, the office took a new direction.
Week 2: Prime Minister & Political Reform (1783-1868) This era entailed prime ministers adjusting to the transition from an oligarchical society to a more politically democratic electorate. Some led this change but many others resisted it. Social changes in Britain associated with the industrial and demographic revolutions proved irresistible.
Week 3: “Democratic” Prime Ministers (1868-1916) Coalitions, as typified by the present government, have often affected a prime minister’s position. Others, such as Benjamin Disraeli and William Gladstone, dominated the periods in which they held power. The modern party system accentuated these changes.
Week 4: Prime Minister or President? (1916-present) Should the prime minister dominate cabinet colleagues? Or should he/she be first among equals? To the present, prime ministers have generally adhered to one or the other leadership model. Although parliamentary government seems secure, the future of the office remains unclear.
When: Thursdays, Feb 16 – Mar 8, 1:30-3:30pm
Where: La Posada, 5900 N. Oracle Rd. (Santa Fe Room)
Cost: $95 (4 sessions)
Instructor: Richard A. Cosgrove, Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society is the author of The Rule of Law (1980), Our Lady the Common Law (1987), and Scholars of the Law (1996). and most recently The Great Tradition: Constitutional History and National Identity in Britain and the United States, 1870-1960 (2007).
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