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Gladstone and Disraeli: A Reappraisal of their Relationship
Author(s) -
QUINAULT ROLAND
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
history
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.12
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 1468-229X
pISSN - 0018-2648
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-229x.2006.00378.x
Subject(s) - politics , house of commons , parliament , feeling , hatred , political science , law , sociology , social psychology , psychology
Biographers of Gladstone and Disraeli have exaggerated the political and especially the personal antagonism between the two men. In the 1830s they were both Tory MPs with similar views and they did not clash directly over fiscal policy until 1852. Gladstone mistrusted Disraeli and questioned his motives, but greatly admired his oratory and literary skill. Disraeli appreciated Gladstone's talents and in the 1850s tried to persuade him to rejoin the Conservatives. As rival party leaders, in the 1860s and early 1870s, they frequently clashed in the Commons, but they also praised each other and had cordial contacts outside parliament. Their political relations deteriorated in the later 1870s and that led to some mutual ill‐feeling, but it was only briefly expressed in public. They continued to be fascinated by each other until they died. Gladstone was shocked by Disraeli's death and denied that there had been any personal hatred between them. The two men misunderstood, but genuinely admired each other.