Neville Laski,Anglo-Jewry and the crises of the 1930s

ABSTRACT

Neville Laski, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews from 1932 to 1939, led Anglo-Jewry through the most challenging period in its modern history. Internally, the community was deeply divided, with half a century of mass immigration placing great strain on its pre-existing structures and institutions, and particularly the traditional elites who controlled them. Externally, it faced the unprecedented threat of an emerging domestic fascist movement, while also dealing with the consequences of growing antisemitic persecution in continental Europe. Despite playing a leading role in responding to these developments, Laski has received remarkably little attention from historians. Where he has, the consensus is that he failed to rise to the challenges of the 1930s, acting as an impediment to internal reform and remaining complacent and ineffective in his response to antisemitism. Drawing on a range of contemporary sources, Tilles’s article offers a comprehensive reassessment of Laski’s role. It argues that he acted as a transitional figure between the rule of the old, anglicized elites and the new immigrant community, seeking to balance the demands of competing factions. Meanwhile, his defence policy against antisemitism was not only active and effective, but eventually saw all major sections of Anglo-Jewry unite behind his leadership in this area.     

'Talking in Fictions': Jennings on Parliament

Sir Ivor Jennings made many ground-breaking contributions to the study of Parliament. Among them are two books written in the 1930s, while Jennings was at the peak of his powers: Parliamentary Reform in 1934, ¹ and Parliament in 1939. ² This essay offers an assessment of Jennings' scholarship on Parliament. It commences with some observations on his method, and this is followed by an outline of the argument in Parliament and an appraisal of the book's originality and ongoing significance. The essay closes with some brief remarks concerning Jennings' Parliamentary Reform .     

王造时早期国家理论探析——“费边社会主义式的想法”

研究王造时的政治思想——其有关国家的理论的形成与演变过程,可以加深了解20世纪20年代到40年代中国政治思想发展的轨迹。在英国师从拉斯基对费边社会主义理论进行研究之后,王造时形成了一些费边社会主义式的想法:中国革命的当务之急是反帝反封建,需要的是爱国主义和民主主义,待民主革命成功后,才能逐渐实施社会主义;经济制度上,建立多种形式的所有制;在政府组织方面,实行责任内阁制;在中央政府和地方政府的关系方面,实行单一制;应该由小资产阶级和资产阶级的知识分子来领导民主革命。本文以其早期国家理论中的“费边社会主义式的想法”为研究对象。