Curiosities of Politics - Hardcover
Fidel Castro once spoke for four and a half hours to the United Nations, while Captain Henry Kerby, MP for Arundel and Shoreham during the 1960s, reputedly only ever asked three parliamentary questions in his entire career: two were written questions and the third was, 'Could somebody please open the window?' And when Lonnie Donegan had a heart bypass operation in the 1980s, a Japanese journalist reading the wires mistook the name for Ronnie Reagan and caused a panic drop on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
'We treat politics as the greatest spectator sport yet invented, so everybody is enjoying the crisis immensely,' said an Irish political commentator of Albert Reynolds' resignation at the end of 1994. Politics is a subject imbued with curiosities: from the rites associated with it to the curious figures who play a part in it. As Disraeli shrewdly observed, 'What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expect generally happens.' In this timely investigation, Jonathan Rice considers the many curiosities of politics in the modern world.
From around 1860 there have been many bizarre political parties - such as the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, which might be described as being perfectly named except that it is neither liberal, democratic nor a party; curious voting systems: Enver Hoxha of Albania got 99.99988 per cent of the vote, when one voter out of the electorate of 1,627,968 failed to support his party in the 1982 election; political leaders whose wives really ruled, and those who changed their names before taking office. There is strange political language - it is acceptable in the UK to call a fellow-MP a 'pig's bladder on a stick' but not a 'nosey Parker', which was banned in 1955; and, of course, the inevitable scandals, which perhaps demonstrate that the honest politician is always the curiosity.
'We treat politics as the greatest spectator sport yet invented, so everybody is enjoying the crisis immensely,' said an Irish political commentator of Albert Reynolds' resignation at the end of 1994. Politics is a subject imbued with curiosities: from the rites associated with it to the curious figures who play a part in it. As Disraeli shrewdly observed, 'What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expect generally happens.' In this timely investigation, Jonathan Rice considers the many curiosities of politics in the modern world.
From around 1860 there have been many bizarre political parties - such as the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, which might be described as being perfectly named except that it is neither liberal, democratic nor a party; curious voting systems: Enver Hoxha of Albania got 99.99988 per cent of the vote, when one voter out of the electorate of 1,627,968 failed to support his party in the 1982 election; political leaders whose wives really ruled, and those who changed their names before taking office. There is strange political language - it is acceptable in the UK to call a fellow-MP a 'pig's bladder on a stick' but not a 'nosey Parker', which was banned in 1955; and, of course, the inevitable scandals, which perhaps demonstrate that the honest politician is always the curiosity.
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- PublisherPavilion
- Publication date1995
- ISBN 10 1857933508
- ISBN 13 9781857933505
- BindingHardcover
- Edition number1
- Number of pages160
- IllustratorRobert Duncan
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Robert Duncan (illustrator). Curiosities of Politics This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9781857933505
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CURIOSITIES OF POLITICS
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(1995)
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ISBN 13: 9781857933505
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Robert Duncan (illustrator). All orders are dispatched the following working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we have over 500,000 books in stock. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied. Seller Inventory # mon0006728108
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Curiosities of Politics
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Used; Good. Robert Duncan (illustrator). Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Seller Inventory # CHL1325608
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Curiosities of Politics
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Used; Good. Robert Duncan (illustrator). Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Grubby book may have mild dirt or some staining, mostly on the edges of pages. Seller Inventory # CHL9480896
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Robert Duncan (illustrator). This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9781857933505
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Book Description Condition: Very Good. Robert Duncan (illustrator). Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 45611819-75
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Robert Duncan (illustrator). 1st edition. Hardback in a protected dust jacket. VG/VG. ISBN 1857933508. 22829. Seller Inventory # 68666
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. Robert Duncan (illustrator). First Edition. pp.159 clean tight copy faint creases to lower front edge, with a indented scratch going up front bottom 3" Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Seller Inventory # 016522
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CURIOSITIES OF POLITICS Rice, Jonathan
Published by
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(1995)
ISBN 10: 1857933508
ISBN 13: 9781857933505
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Robert Duncan (illustrator). First edition. Book is in very good condition. All pages are unmarked and intact. Unclipped dust jacket. Seller Inventory # G0134765
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