February 10, 2015

A ‘new departure’ towards radicalism

Randolph called this period his father’s “new departure.” Was he truly “an architect of the modern welfare state” or merely a defender of traditional class society? Historians disagree. RSC referred to the reciprocal fascination, friendship and partnership between WSC and Lloyd George. But Margot Asquith wrote, “From Lloyd George he was to learn the language of Radicalism. It was Lloyd George’s native tongue, but it was not his own, and despite his efforts he spoke it with a difference.” Margot wrote him frequently, usually encouraging his support for her husband, the Prime Minister, even asking him to intervene with the editor of the Manchester Guardian because of its critical stand. But Churchill replied that papers had better be left alone.

Churchill planned to visit Paris, but Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey made him promise not to meddle in foreign policy. Grey warned him that he could not discuss politics abroad as a private individual: “Importance will be attached to all you say.

WSC published My African Journey (Woods A12), a longer version of his account in The Strand (A35), but with only 45,000 words it had large type. It sold for 5/. He bought and sold many books via Eddie Marsh, who considered Newman’s Sermons, Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations. Macauley ‘s History of England, Gibbon, Froude and Carlyle. Nearly 200 books were bought and sold.

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