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CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE JEAN AITCHISON is the Rupert Murdoch professor o f language and communication at the University o f Oxford. Her most recent book is The Language Web: The Power and Problem of Words. BBC Keith Lectures (CUP) BRUCE ANDERSON is the political columnist o f the Spectator JEREMY CLARKE is a freelance writer DEREK COOMBS is chairman o f Prospect IAN DAVIDSON is a Financial Times columnist KATHERINE FRANK is w riting a biography o f Indira Gandhi (HarperCollins) PETER GLOTZ is the founding rector o f Erfurt University DAVID GOODHART is editor o f Prospect PHILIP GORDON is senior fellow at the IISS and author o f A Certain Idea of France: French Security Policy and the Gaullist Legacy (Princeton University Press) AC GRAYLING is lecturer in philosophy at Birkbeck College, London and senior research fellow at St Anne’s College, Oxford JOHN GRIBBIN is a v isiting fellow in astronomy at the University o f Sussex. His books include In the Beginning (Penguin) and Companion to the Cosmos (Phoenix) KATHRYN HUGHES is w riting a biography o f George Eliot JOHN LLOYD is associate editor o f the New Statesman NORBERT LYNTON is a former Guardian art critic and professor o f art history MARION McGILVARY is a writer LEO McKINSTRY is the author o f Turning the Tide: A Personal Manifestofor Modem Britain (M ichael Joseph) IAIN McLEAN is professor o f politics at the University o f Oxford JOHN O’SULLIVAN was a speech writer for Margaret Thatcher and is editor pf the N ew York-based National Review JOHN PLENDER writes for the Financial Times FREDERIC RAPHAEL is a novelist JANE ROBINS is a journalist on the Evening Standard ROBERT SKIDELSKY is completing a three volume biography o f Keynes (Macmillan) COLIN SMITH is a former foreign correspondent. H e is completing a novel set in Palestine during the British mandate MARIO VARGAS LLOSA is a writer PETER WAYNE is serving 13 years for robbery at Channings Wood prison TOM WILKIE is former science editor o f the Independent DAVID WILLETTS is Conservative MP for Havant TONY WRIGHT is Labour MP for Cannock & Burntwood 2 PROSPECT May 1997 Prospect IFho whom? Page 8 OPINIONS 8 BLAIR’S NEW CLASS JOHN O’SULLIVAN Socialism may be dead but the in terventionist itch is alive and well. 10 IF GEORGE ELIOT COULD VOTE KATHRYN HUGHES Despite sympathising with the Majors, the Blairs would get the vote. 12 A LITERARY ENGAGEMENT MARIO VARGAS LLOSA The purpose of literature is not ju s t to alleviate our boredom on the bus— writers must be committed. Issue nineteen May 1997 16 WHERE’S THE STRATEGY? IAN DAVIDSON Britain can be for or against federalism, but it must have a European strategy. 18 DEBATE: WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE JEAN AITCHISON AND AC GRAYLING do battle over split infinitives and the changing meaning of words. ESSAYS 2 2 WHO ARE THE MASTERS NOW? DAVID GOODHART asks whether public opinion has grown too powerful for its own good. Do governments react too much and govern too little? Imperial stereotype. Page 26 26 WHOWAS NEHRU? KATHERINE FRANK India is scandalised by a dirt-digging biography of its first prime minister. Can western individualists understand an Indian life? 14 THE MORAL MINORITY DEREK COOMBS considers the consequences of the flight from fatherhood. 15 WHAT’S LEFT IN EUROPE PETER GLOTZ W ill a Blair victory boost Europe’s dispirited social democrats? On attend Blair. Page 15

30 BRING BACK KEYNES ROBERT SKIDELSKY Keynesianism has learned from its mistakes. The case for a cautious revival o f Keynesian analysis and policy is now strong. The visible hand. Page 30 36 COSMOLOGY AND EVOLUTION JOHN GRIBBIN Physicists are applying Darwinian theories of evolution to the universe with m ind-blowing results. MY STORY 4 2 FORGET JERUSALEM MARION McGILVARY visits her Palestinian in-laws and is intim idated by Israeli security. WITNESS 44 THE SECOND PARTITION COLIN SMITH recalls his first assignm ent as a war reporter when Pakistan crumbled. SPECIAL REPORT 52 WESTMINSTER ON SPEED JANE ROBINS Politics goes digital: a day of the new hit-and-run soundbite warfare. BRIEFING 56 NUCLEAR DUSTBIN BLUES TOM WILKIE How can we dispose o f nuclear waste if every proposal is aborted? REVIEWS 60 THE MILLBANK MORALIST DAVID WILLETTS says W right’s book is full of anecdote and moral denunciation. 62 CONTRADICTION IN TERMS TONY WRIGHT says W illetts’s book is full of the agonies offin de siecle conservatism. 64 COLD WAR CLOSURE PHILIP GORDON Historians discover that Stalin was to blame after all. 6 6 A WORTHLESS MEMOIR BRUCE ANDERSON on Alistair McAlpine, Tory fundraiser. Dirty and divided. Page 42 67 MODERN MORAL SUBJECTS NORBERT LYNTON on Hogarth’s influence on Grosz. DIGEST 74 Innocent child’s play or serious sex abuse? The globalisation matrix. Not in our backyard. Page 56 REGULARS 4 /70-1 LETTERS Edward Pearce on Percy Cradock. 5 CURIOSITIES 6 MODERN MANNERS JEREMY CLARKE An outing to a talent contest. 40 THE PRISONER PETER WAYNE E n te rta in ing M rs Howard. 49 STRICTLY PERSONAL FREDERIC RAPHAEL Semana santa in Seville. 50 THE LIST Prospect’s guide to lectures. 51 BUSINESS JOHN PLENDER The decline o f Japan Inc. 55 BABEL JOHN LLOYD on a Scots blindspot. 6 8 CHOICES Prospects pick o f the arts. 72 THIS SPORTING LIFE LEO McKINSTRY New Labour, New Ashes triumph. 78 CROSSWORD BY DIDYMUS 79 BRUSSELS DIARY MANNEKEN PIS A strongm an for Britain. 80 PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS IAIN McLEAN Down with devolution. PROSPECT May 1997 3

Page Text

30 BRING BACK KEYNES ROBERT SKIDELSKY Keynesianism has learned from its mistakes. The case for a cautious revival o f Keynesian analysis and policy is now strong.

The visible hand. Page 30

36 COSMOLOGY AND EVOLUTION JOHN GRIBBIN Physicists are applying Darwinian theories of evolution to the universe with m ind-blowing results.

MY STORY 4 2 FORGET JERUSALEM MARION McGILVARY visits her Palestinian in-laws and is intim idated by Israeli security.

WITNESS 44 THE SECOND PARTITION COLIN SMITH recalls his first assignm ent as a war reporter when Pakistan crumbled.

SPECIAL REPORT 52 WESTMINSTER ON SPEED JANE ROBINS Politics goes digital: a day of the new hit-and-run soundbite warfare.

BRIEFING 56 NUCLEAR DUSTBIN BLUES TOM WILKIE How can we dispose o f nuclear waste if every proposal is aborted?

REVIEWS 60 THE MILLBANK MORALIST DAVID WILLETTS says W right’s book is full of anecdote and moral denunciation.

62 CONTRADICTION IN TERMS TONY WRIGHT says W illetts’s book is full of the agonies offin de siecle conservatism.

64 COLD WAR CLOSURE PHILIP GORDON Historians discover that Stalin was to blame after all.

6 6

A WORTHLESS MEMOIR BRUCE ANDERSON on Alistair McAlpine, Tory fundraiser.

Dirty and divided. Page 42

67 MODERN MORAL SUBJECTS NORBERT LYNTON on Hogarth’s influence on Grosz.

DIGEST 74 Innocent child’s play or serious sex abuse? The globalisation matrix.

Not in our backyard. Page 56

REGULARS 4 /70-1 LETTERS Edward Pearce on Percy Cradock.

5 CURIOSITIES

6

MODERN MANNERS JEREMY CLARKE An outing to a talent contest.

40 THE PRISONER PETER WAYNE E n te rta in ing M rs Howard.

49 STRICTLY PERSONAL FREDERIC RAPHAEL Semana santa in Seville.

50 THE LIST Prospect’s guide to lectures.

51 BUSINESS JOHN PLENDER The decline o f Japan Inc.

55 BABEL JOHN LLOYD on a Scots blindspot.

6 8

CHOICES Prospects pick o f the arts.

72 THIS SPORTING LIFE LEO McKINSTRY New Labour, New Ashes triumph.

78 CROSSWORD BY DIDYMUS

79 BRUSSELS DIARY MANNEKEN PIS A strongm an for Britain.

80 PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS IAIN McLEAN Down with devolution.

PROSPECT May 1997 3

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