Author:Julian Hoppit
'An invaluable primer to some of the underlying tensions behind contemporary political debate' Financial Times
It has always been an important part of British self-image to see the United Kingdom as an ancient, organic and sensibly managed place, in striking contrast to the convulsions of other European countries. Yet, as Julian Hoppit makes clear in this fascinating and surprising book, beneath the complacent surface the United Kingdom has in fact been in a constant, often very tense argument with itself about how it should be run and, most significantly, who should pay for what.
The book takes its argument from an eighteenth century cartoon which shows the central state as the 'Dreadful Monster', gorging itself at the dinner table on all the taxes it can grab. Meanwhile the 'Poor Relations' - Scotland, Wales and Ireland, both poor because of tax but also poor in the sense of needing special treatment - are viewed in London as an endless 'drain on the state'. With drastically different levels of prosperity, population, industry, agriculture and accessibility between the United Kingdom's different nations, what is a fair basis for paying for the state?
An engaging account of three centuries of the UK's economic history ... Hoppit outlines an agenda for reform.
—— Jonathan Portes , ProspectA meticulous fiscal narrative of the union with Scotland, the 19th century equivalent with Ireland, and devolution of taxes more recently ... [Hoppit shows] the importance of taxation to history and contemporary politics, providing an invaluable primer to some of the underlying tensions behind contemporary political debate.
—— Chris Giles , Financial TimesHoppit shows how the history of financial relations within the United Kingdom is profoundly relevant to the current constitutional debate ... Hoppit steers the reader deftly through complex historical statistics ... provides much useful ammunition.
—— Vernon Bogdanor , Daily TelegraphOh Happy Day is a phenomenal achievement... The book covers great swathes of history... These are intriguing stories.
—— Dani Garavelli , Herald ScotlandAn absorbing account of empire, migration, the poverty of injustice and enduring love... The book bristles with Callil's righteous anger at the injustices meted out to her forbears, and at the parallels for our own times.
—— Caroline Sanderson , The BooksellerAn extraordinary reclamation of lives usually lost to history... A model of how to construct a compelling narrative from patchy material... Other writers, from Dickens onwards, have exposed these hardships: few have done so with the rigour and bitter irony that Callil employs.
—— Nicholas Clee , BookBrunchPowerfully told... [Oh Happy Day is] an impressive work, shining merciless beams of light on murky specifics of the early 1800s... She's such a forceful writer.
—— Ysenda Maxtone Graham , The TimesCallil speaks in the vehement voice of a furious warrior, adversary and advocate. She deftly wields a mighty weapon of words as she puts the case for the dispossessed of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries... From her research, Callil can conjure jewels that light the scene, astonish and delight. Or maybe horrify... The construction of the narrative is a masterpiece of beguiling tessellation... This is a book to be read slowly, reread, treasured.
—— Carmel Bird , The Australian[A] stirring and intelligent second book... Oh Happy Day brings a veritable mine of information. Whether she's detailing the rise of the Chartists, the daily grind of the stockinger families, the horrors of the prison hulks, or ruminating on Britain's obsession with flagellation, Callil certainly knows her stuff.
—— Lucy Scholes , Daily TelegraphThought-provoking.
—— Catherine Pepinster , Tablet, *Books of the Year*[A] poignant mixture of the personal and the political... a stirring, opinionated account.
—— History RevealedThe power of government is crucial for driving the economy forward. But only if it retains capacity. Mazzucato and Collington have written a brilliant book that exposes the dangerous consequences of outsourcing state capacity to the consulting industry-and how to build it back. A fascinating look at the biggest players in the game and why this matters for all of us.
—— Stephanie Kelton, author of THE DEFICIT MYTHA powerful indictment of a dubious industry. This book should be read around the globe, and kickstart a debate that's long overdue: Do we really need all those consultants?
—— Rutger Bregman, author of UTOPIA FOR REALISTS and HUMANKINDThe Big Con documents, in precise detail and with panoramic vision, all the ways that the consulting industry has insinuated itself into the systems that govern and control our lives. Private companies, public charities and trusts, states, and even the international order have all handed mission-critical functions over to management consultants. Mariana Mazzucato and Rosie Collington document the harms that result, as consultants exploit the public while stripping their clients of expertise and even the capacity to learn. This bill of particulars serves a profound master purpose: to demonstrate that we cannot outsource governance over our lives and still hope to remain prosperous, democratic, and free.
—— Daniel Markovits, author of THE MERITOCRACY TRAPA management consultant,' the quip runs, 'is someone who borrows your watch to tell you the time-and then keeps the watch.' This is the very least of the confidence tricks perpetrated by the global consulting industry it turns out. Another common saying is that 'nobody ever got fired for hiring McKinsey.' With the publication of The Big Con, they just might.
—— Brett Christophers, author of RENTIER CAPITALISMDoggedly researched and elegantly written, this is a fascinating entry point into a critical yet underreported issue
—— Publishers WeeklyFascinating... a real page-turner... the writing is backed up with considerable academic research... the evidence of systematic oppression, presented as powerfully and relentlessly as it is here, will be difficult to resist
—— Literary ReviewNot so much a history book as a book of historical significance
—— BBC History Magazine, *Best Books of 2022*Hugely entertaining
—— The Times, Best Books of Summer 2022Fascinating
—— Catherine Fletcher , History Today