Martin Pugh 
State and Society Fourth Edition [PDF ebook] 
A Social and Political History of Britain since 1870

As a vigorous interpretation of political and social developments in Britain since the late-Victorian era, State and Society has rapidly become one of the most respected and widely read introductions to the history of modern Britain. In this new edition, the account is updated to take in the decline of New Labour, the financial crisis and the Coalition Government. Pugh examines not only the changes in the political and social spectrums but also those elements of continuity linking the past with more recent history. He closes with an assessment of the continuing dilemmas of national unity — encompassing both positive and negative aspects, from the Royal Wedding to immigration and the defence cuts.