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The British political system, though often criticised, has been the model and the inspiration for many national governments world-wide. It is the centre of controversial debate within Britain itself. Yet over the 130 years since Bagehot wrote his English Constitution, few historians have investigated in depth how it has evolved in all its dimensions, and few political scientists have looked further back than the Second World War. This book seeks to provide a detailed explanation of how the Britain policital system came to acquire the form it has today. Brian Harrison's broad-ranging analysis runs from the 1860s to the 1990s. He investigastes such topics as civil liberties, pressure groups, parliament, elections and the parties, central and local government, cabinet, and monarchy. He examines the international and cultural influences on the working of the political system, and concludes by surveying current proposals for reform.