In Sybil, or The Two Nations, social activist, political reformer and twice Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli tells the love story of a young working-class woman and a newly elected nobleman. While on a visit to the manufacturing towns of the north, aristocrat Charles Egremont encounters beautiful Sybil Gerard, singing in the grounds of Marney Abbey. Graceful and angelic, Sybil Gerard is a symbol of religious purity. He also meets her father, a working-class radical, who tells him about the division of England into two nations: the rich and the poor. Moved by the episode, Egremont investigates the conditions of the working poor and witnesses the disturbing after-effects of the Industrial Revolution. He attempts to address the deep disparity, while falling increasingly in love with Sybil; however, his courtship is pitted against growing political unrest and violence caused by the calamitous two-nation divide.
In 1875, Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli purchased 44% of the Suez Canal's stock from the bankrupt Egyptian Khedive. He did not consult Parliament, but rather, acted quickly to obtain relative control over this vital point in British trade routes. Disraeli delivered this speech to the House of Commons in 1876, explaining his decision. This choice was ultimately both popular and profitable, and it has been noted as one of Disraeli's greatest acts as prime minister.
British politician Benjamin Disraeli gave this speech in 1872. It details the Conservative Party's platform, which stressed the role that the nobility, church, and House of Commons each plays in government. Disraeli also took the opportunity to criticize the actions of the Liberal Party, which had been in power for the last four years. Conservative policies soon made a comeback, as Disraeli beat out the Liberal opposition to serve as prime minister from 1874-1880.
British statesman Benjamin Disraeli delivered this commanding speech in 1872. His imperialistic ideals informed his Conservative political platform as he advocated for maintaining the British Empire. He asked his audience if they were content to be a "comfortable England," or if they preferred the glory of remaining "a great country-an imperial country-a country where your sons, when they rise, rise to paramount positions, and obtain not merely the esteem of their countrymen, but command the respect of the world." Read Disraeli's stirring words for yourself to see how the British majority felt swayed by his talk of greatness.
