Law, Crime and English Society, 1660-1830

Written from Marxist and liberal perspectives, this study examines how eighteenth-century English law was defined and administered. It introduces current debates about British society in the era in which England became the world's leading nation. Contributions from leading international historians consider eighteenth-century legal institutions in relation to contemporary concepts of corruption, oppression and institutional efficiency. The result is an original account of the legal basis of eighteenth-century society.