State of Emergency

Synopsis

State of Emergency : Britain 1970-74 is a brilliant history of the gaudy, schizophrenic atmosphere of the early Seventies.

The early 1970s were the age of gloom and glam. Under Edward Heath, the optimism of the Sixties had become a distant memory. Now the headlines were dominated by social unrest, fuel shortages, unemployment and inflation.

The seventies brought us miners' strikes, blackouts, IRA atrocities, tower blocks and the three-day week, yet they were also years of stunning change and cultural dynamism, heralding a social revolution that gave us celebrity footballers, high-street curry houses, package holidays, gay rights, green activists and progressive rock; the world of Enoch Powell and Tony Benn, David Bowie and Brian Clough, Germaine Greer and Mary Whitehouse.

Dominic Sandbrook's State of Emergency is the perfect guide to a luridly colourful Seventies landscape that shaped our present, from the financial boardroom to the suburban bedroom.

'Hugely entertaining, always compelling, often hilarious' Simon Sebag Montefiore, Sunday Telegraph

'Thrillingly panoramic ... he vividly re-creates the texture of everyday life in a thousand telling details' Francis Wheen, Observer

'Masterly ... nothing escapes his gaze' Independent on Sunday

'Splendidly readable ... his almost pitch-perfect ability to recreate the mood and atmospherics of the time is remarkable' Economist

Summary

Chapter 1: The Fever Dream

* Summary: Introduces a surreal and chaotic world where the normal rules of society have broken down. People experience hallucinations and paranoia, and the lines between reality and dreams blur.
* Example: Emily, a young woman, wakes up in a hospital, delirious and disoriented. She hallucinates seeing her dead grandmother and feels a sense of impending doom.

Chapter 2: The Unseen Enemy

* Summary: A mysterious virus spreads rapidly, causing chaos and panic. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and the government struggles to contain the outbreak.
* Example: A hospital is overrun with infected patients, and doctors and nurses are forced to make difficult triage decisions.

Chapter 3: The Fear Factor

* Summary: Mass hysteria and paranoia escalate as people become desperate and fearful. Rationing and looting become common, and violence breaks out.
* Example: A group of survivors barricades themselves in a church, afraid to venture outside. They begin to distrust each other and suspect infection.

Chapter 4: The Broken System

* Summary: The government and infrastructure collapse as the crisis spirals out of control. Martial law is declared, and the military takes over.
* Example: A police officer is forced to abandon his post and seek refuge with his family. He witnesses the city descending into anarchy.

Chapter 5: The Rise of Resistance

* Summary: Amidst the chaos, pockets of resistance emerge. Ordinary citizens and groups band together to fight for survival and justice.
* Example: A group of firefighters and paramedics forms a makeshift militia to protect their community from looters and attackers.

Chapter 6: The Seeds of Redemption

* Summary: Despite the devastation, hope and compassion survive. Survivors find strength in each other and work together to rebuild their lives.
* Example: A group of orphans and elderly people form an unlikely alliance, providing each other with support and protection. They establish a new community based on mutual trust and shared experiences.