Understanding Tradition in British Politics and Beyond

Please do not cite without permission The concept of 'tradition' is used in a range of different ways within studies of British politics. Despite this there have been only a few attempts to theorise notions of tradition within British political science. Furthermore the different concepts of tradition forwarded by conservatives, interpretivists and realists have each been contested. This paper examines wider social science literature to reflect upon the character and content of tradition. It is argued that there is an ongoing tension between authors who emphasise the non-reflective, habitual and practical content of tradition as against those who stress the rational, reflective and even intellectual qualities of surviving traditions. It is suggested that an adequate theory of tradition might involve making a distinction between practical knowledge and discursive knowledge.