Overview

In the wake of the First World War, Central Europe saw the birth of new republics and hope for democratic renewal. Women and working-class representatives entered parliaments for the first time, and lawmakers found themselves at the centre of a rapidly changing political landscape. This book explores the lives, work, and networks of interwar parliamentarians, focusing on their navigation of political sociability and their evolving roles on the international stage. Challenging the common narrative of the 1920s and 1930s as an era of insurmountable political division, A Continent of Colleagues delves into the behind-the-scenes world of European politics. Drawing on diaries, letters, calendars, and memoirs from politicians across Germany, Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, and beyond, historian James McSpadden reconstructs the informal networks and personal relationships that shaped parliamentary life. These cross-party and global connections facilitated legislation, diplomacy, and even personal favours. This book depicts how moderate voices were sidelined and cooperation declined as political parties radicalized. Political debate retreated to private spaces, making governance easier but widening the gap between politicians and the public. A Continent of Colleagues demonstrates how this shift contributed to the rise of anti-democratic movements that later plunged the world into war.

Full Product Details

Author:   James McSpadden
Publisher:   University of Toronto Press
Imprint:   University of Toronto Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.90cm , Height: 2.80cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.640kg
ISBN:  

9781487565633

ISBN 10:   1487565631
Pages:   360
Publication Date:   04 November 2025
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Not yet available, will be POD  
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Table of Contents

Dedication Acknowledgments List of Images List of Abbreviations Introduction: Public Political Outsiders to Behind-the-Scenes Insiders Chapter One: Entering the Smoke-Filled Backrooms: German, Austrian, and Dutch Women as Interwar Parliamentary Newcomers Chapter Two: From Boozy Receptions to Private Clubs: The Social Landscape of Politics in Weimar Berlin Chapter Three: From the League of Nations to Electioneering Abroad: Transnational Parliamentary Connections between the World Wars Chapter Four: The Inter-Parliamentary Union, International Parliamentary Commercial Conference, and Interwar Parliamentary Democracy Chapter Five: “Wolves Among Lambs:” Nazis in the German Reichstag Chapter Six: Gentlemanly National Socialists and Cooperating German Nationalists in the Dutch and Czechoslovak Parliaments of the 1930s Chapter Seven: From Cross-Cutting Interconnections to the Primacy of Parties in Interwar Austria and Weimar Germany Conclusion: Republics of Friends: Informal Institutions or Damaging Democracy? Archives and Their Abbreviations Bibliography Index

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Author Information

James McSpadden is an assistant professor of history at the University of Nevada, Reno.

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