The Long RevolutionRaymond Williams, whose other works include Keywords, The Country and the City, Culture and Society, and Modern Tragedy, was one of the world’s foremost cultural critics. Almost uniquely, his work bridged the divides between aesthetic and socio-economic inquiry, between Marxist thought and mainstream liberal thought, and between the modern and post-modern world. When The Long Revolution first appeared in 1961, much of the acclaim it received was based on its prescriptions for Britain in the '60s, which form a relatively brief final section of the whole. The body of the book has since come to be recognized as one of the foundation documents in the cultural analysis of English-speaking culture. The “long revolution” of the title is a cultural revolution, which Williams sees as having unfolded alongside the democratic revolution and the industrial revolution. With this book, Williams led the way in recognizing the importance of the growth of the popular press, the growth of standard English, and the growth the reading public in English-speaking culture and in Western culture as a whole. In addition, Williams’s discussion of how culture is to be defined and analyzed has been of considerable importance in the development of cultural studies as an independent discipline. Originally published by Chatto & Windus, The Long Revolution is now available only in this Broadview Encore Edition. |
Contents
The Creative Mind | 19 |
The Analysis of Culture | 57 |
Individuals and Societies | 89 |
Images of Society | 120 |
Education and British Society | 145 |
The Growth of the Reading Public | 177 |
The Growth of the Popular Press | 195 |
The Growth of Standard English | 237 |
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Common terms and phrases
accepted activity actual analysis artist basis become beginning century character clear communication complex contemporary continued course created creative criticism culture daily decision definition described difficult direct drama economic effect elements English essential established evident example existing expansion experience expression extended fact feeling followed forms further growth human idea important individual industrial institutions interest kind Labour language learning limited literature living look major means middle middle-class nature necessary newspapers novel obvious offered ordinary organization particular pattern period political popular possible practical problem production question reached reading reality relation relationships response schools seems seen selective sense separate shows simple situation social society stage standard success Sunday theatres things thinking tion tradition true universities values varied whole widely writers