State

Britain’s relationship between people and the state has changed greatly from about 1170 to the present day. This study asks who could exercise power, who could influence decisions, and how people challenged those who governed them.

Between 1914 and about 1980, the British state took on much greater responsibility for people’s work, health and security. The two world wars accelerated this change because victory depended on organising civilians as well as soldiers. After 1945, government increasingly used its powers to provide services and protect people against hardship, not simply to meet military emergencies.