BOOK ABSTRACT:
Inside Cover Blurb - In this penetrating book, Jeremy Paxman sets out to discover the true sources of power in 1990s Britain and to identify the Establishment. Friends In High Places reads like a travel adventure. It is an invaluable guide to the networks of influence.
- For years, people have managed simultaneously to believe that a traditional ruling class survives and that the country is now in the hands of a meritocracy. Jeremy Paxman examines this contradiction and, by scrutinizing the backgrounds of MPs, company directors, judges, generals and mandarins, sets out to discover whether the Old Boy Network really has been cast aside. His conclusions are stimulating and will encourage a reassessment of those who hold power.
- Travelling from the National Theatre to the Bank of England, from Clubland to Whitehall, from The Times' boardroom to Buckingham Palace, from Eton to Westminster and from Rothschilds to Lambeth Palace, in interviews with over 150 prominent members of British society, Jeremy Paxman uncovers the intricate relationship between power, class and money.
- Packed with revelations, anecdote and humour, this book is both controversial and thought-provoking. Jeremy Paxman’s journey of discovery challenges all our assumptions about the framework of power in Britain.
Contents Preface – vii
Acknowledgements – xii
Introduction – 1- Lords, Squires and Pipsqueaks – 19
- The Fount of Honour – 47
- Etonians and Estonians – 73
- Let Us Now Praise Famous Men – 99
- The Eunuch’s Consolation – 130
- Floreat Etona (and Her Little Brothers and Sisters) – 156
- Money by Degrees – 173
- God Save the Church of England – 198
- Stand Uneasy – 221
- The Unexpected Return of Samuel Smiles – 244
- Bowler Hats and White Socks – 266
- The Arts Tsars – 288
- Bring on the Comfortable Men – 310
Notes – 336
Bibliography – 352
Index – 360
BOOK COMMENT: - Michael Joseph, London, 1990. Hardback.
- As this book is now - as of late 2020 - 30 years old, it'd be interesting to know whether whatever is discovered - or claimed - in the pages of this book still represents the status quo.
Text Colour Conventions (see disclaimer)- Blue: Text by me; © Theo Todman, 2020
- Mauve: Text by correspondent(s) or other author(s); © the author(s)