Welsh Journals

werthfawrogi diwylliant a meddwl y cyfnod. Dyna paham y dylai'r gwaith hwn fod yn rhan anhepgor o gyfarpar pob ymchwilydd a hanesydd a fyn ddysgu mwy am natur diwylliant Cymru yn y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg. BLEDDYN OWEN HUWS Aberystwyth [This in-house publication by Huw Walters of The National Library of Wales contains lists of the contents of two Welsh-language periodicals that were published by a group of Independent Nonconformist preachers in the second half of the nineteenth century, a name-index of authors and concise biographical notes.] FEDERAL BRITAIN: A HISTORY. By John Kendle. Routledge, 1997. Pp.xiii, 204. £ 45.00; pb. £ 14.99. To write a history of 'Federal Britain' might sound like writing a history of democratic Russia: it must surely turn out to be a short book. The history of the British Isles since the late middle ages is characterized by an increasing centralization of government, and a growing disbelief that any other system would be appropriate for the state. But, as Professor Kendle rightly points out, this centralization was not accompanied by the making of one British nation. Moreover, it has occasioned a debate about the evils of this trend. Therefore, it is not surprising that Professor Kendle has been able to unearth a considerable literature on the subject, drawing upon his earlier research as well as some new delving. Perhaps it is possible to exaggerate the degree of uniformity in the British state; the great anti-home-ruler, A. V. Dicey, remarked on the variety of forms of local institutions, and the possibility of developing them. Nevertheless, Kendle's point stands, that the question of decentralizing the kingdom would not go away, even if it was never convincingly on the political agenda. This, however, renders his book more of a history of political ideas than a study in British politics. He admits that the federal idea never moved beyond discussion by the political elite; public opinion remained unmoved, except by the possibility, perhaps, of Irish federalism in 1917-18. But this sad experience only served to discredit the whole concept; it was best to leave well enough alone. Kendle traces this debate, and takes issue with the anti-federalists. He makes a good case for a federal Britain, but the English problem, as he admits, looms large. England is by far the largest, most powerful and