History Sessions Podcast - Walter Bagehot's 'The English Constitution' | Catherine Marshall

In this episode of The History Sessions Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Catherine Marshall to explore 'The English Constitution', Walter Bagehot’s iconic 1867 study of Britain’s political system.

Bagehot’s work remains one of the most influential analyses of the UK’s unwritten constitution, famous for its distinction between the “dignified” and “efficient” parts of government. With wit, sharp insight, and a touch of Victorian snobbery, Bagehot helped shape modern understandings of cabinet government, the monarchy, and parliamentary democracy, a legacy that endures to this day.

Dr. Marshall walks us through Bagehot’s life and ideas, the intellectual context of Victorian liberalism, and why The English Constitution still matters today, both as political theory and as a cultural document of Britain’s self-image.

About Our Guest: Catherine Marshall is Professor of British Studies at CY Cergy Paris Université and a leading scholar on British political thought. Her work focuses on 19th-century liberalism, the history of political ideas, and the concept of 'political deference'.

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