My greatest debt of gratitude is to my friend Jeremy Hosking, who, at a time when I was greatly concerned about the loss of income that researching and writing the book would mean, stepped in with substantial sponsorship. This helped me simply get on with it. Alan Gibbs, who I did not know at all before, was remarkably generous in offering further sponsorship after he saw the proposal and quizzed me vigorously about it over supper. Alan Gibbs has also kindly subsidised the new printing of the book in 2013, which cost more than usual because the computer files with the original edited version were lost.
The publisher, Iain Dale at Politico’s, went where many others were too appalled or terrified to tread. Neither of the two major publishing houses which had produced my previous (pretty successful) books would take this one on. A succession of other publishers considered the book and rejected it. This book expresses views far outside the mainstream and Iain Dale showed courage in taking it on. He also commissioned the 2013 reprint when he became managing director of Biteback.
Barendina Smedley did outstanding research on my behalf, specialising in anything before 1900. She also was generous with encouragement and reassurance at an early stage when I sorely needed them. Christian Wignall helped with research in a wide variety of areas – from education in Singapore to the story of Sir John Cowperthwaite in Hong Kong. My main help in education research came from James Stanfield of the E. G. West Centre. David Green was kind enough to offer advice on a variety of the aspects of the welfare state.
During the research, Phoebe Rudomino-Dusiacka helped me deal, week by week, with the many practical problems of obtaining publications from the OECD, from government departments and so on. My wife Anne kindly put up with living economically during the two years it took me to research and write the book. Her encouragement was vital. Anne’s parents, Colonel Ethelwald and Mrs Beatrice Vella, generously let me stay several times with them in their home in Malta where I was able to work very peacefully and pleasantly – the only distraction being trying not to miss the daily visit to the village of the bread delivery van.
Various people were generous with their time in reading chapters in draft form: David Green of Civitas, Tom Burkard, Professor Philip Booth of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), the social historian David Gladstone, Rebecca O’Neill, Christian Wignall, John Wilden (retired consultant neurosurgeon) and Anne. They provided encouragement, extra material and, where necessary, correction. Of course all the remaining errors are my responsibility.
I attended many very useful talks at Civitas and the IEA and, in both cases, met people who went on to offer material assistance. Publications by other think tanks such as the Centre for Policy Studies were also useful. Eamonn Butler at the Adam Smith Institute was instrumental in helping to persuade Iain Dale that the book was worth doing and later putting it before Milton Friedman, who – to my astonishment and delight – did me the honour of making some very complimentary comments about the book after reading it from cover to cover. Matthew Young, also of the Adam Smith Institute, was always ready to advise and give me the benefit of his awesome range of contacts.
I was encouraged by the support of many of the above people and also of Charles Moore, who, when editor of the Daily Telegraph, tried to persuade a publisher to take on the book and also indicated that he would take me back as a once-a-week leader-writer after the book was finished. That was a comfort. John Blundell, director of the IEA, took an interest in the project from an early stage, offering encouragement and then substantial support.
The IEA made a bulk order of books prior to publication, which ensured there was the money to pay for the high production values. It also successfully recommended to the Earhart Foundation that I should be made the Earhart Foundation Senior Fellow in Social Policy at the IEA. The foundation provided me with a welcome monthly allowance which helped subsidise me in promoting the book after publication and in doing some further research. The IEA then awarded me the Arthur Seldon Prize, which is for the best book associated with the institute over the previous year. The institute further arranged for me to speak in Florida, for the Heritage Foundation, and at an educational colloquium in Potsdam – both of which were rewarding experiences. It is also intending to help in the promotion of this paperback edition.
Robert Boyd and Christian Wignall both offered further sponsorship for the book around the time of first publication.
Researching this book was a fascinating voyage of discovery. I did not know how ignorant I was until I learnt a little bit more. I thank all the above for their help in making the journey possible.