Men of Property: The Very Wealthy in Britain Since the Industrial Revolution

Who were the very rich in Britain during the past 200 years? Until recently, surprisingly little was known about them beyond anecdotes and stereotypes. "Men of Property", the first book by an historian to examine and analyze who the very rich in Britain really were, first appeared in 1981 and has had a wide influence. It is credited with helping to shape the so-called "Gentlemanly Capitalism" school of economic historians, which has heavily affected our notions of economic growth in modern Britain. "Men of Property" now appears in an updated edition, with new chapters on the very rich in post-war Britain. "Men of Property" offers a full picture of the occupations, social origins, and career patterns of the very rich in Britain since the early nineteenth century, including both businessmen and the great landowners. This updated edition - as well as updating the existing chapters - includes new chapters on the wealthy in the 1940-80 period and on the wealthy in contemporary Britain.