Power Politics: Political Encounters in Industry and Engineering

Modern Britain is still living with the legacy of Margaret Thatcher’s widespread policy of privatization. How did this dramatic change in company structure effect modern British society? What are the implications for today’s volatile economic situation? And what role did the champions of British industry play in forming the shareholder state? 

Francis (Lord) Tombs, at once one of Britain's major industrialists and public servants of the late 20th century, explores how this shift occurred and chronicles the interaction between industry and politics over nearly half a century. This fast-paced account of top-tier business offers a penetrating exploration of the role of central government in business as well as many insights into big industry and the problems facing British business today. 

Power Politics reveals an absorbing vision of British Industry at a crucial period which shaped this country’s social and political history. As a story of individual development and action as well as a portrait of the British industrial landscape in the late 20th century, this is an invaluable contribution to Economic History.