The Rise of Professional Society lays out a stimulating and controversial framework for the study of British society, challenging accepted paradigms based on class analysis. Perkins argues that the non-capitalist "professional class" represents a new principle of social organization based on trained expertise and meritocracy, a "forgotten middle class" conveniently overlooked by classical social theorists.

About the Author
Harold Perkin is Professor Emeritus of History at Northwestern University, Evanstone, Illinois; Professor Emeritus at Lancaster University and Honorary Professor at Cardiff University. He is author of numerous books including The Origins of English Society 1780-880 (1969), The Age of the Railway (1970) and The Third Revolution (1996).

Reviews

'A true magnum opus. No social historian can afford not to read it.' - Asa Briggs

'Accessible to the general reader, indispensable to the scholar and a solid achievement of synthesis and clarity.' - TheObserver

Book Information
ISBN 9780415301787
Author Harold Perkin
Format Paperback
Page Count 632
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 793g