Author Description

This will be the first volume to discuss the development of Plaid Cymru's political ideology from the early days to the party's present position as the chief opposition party in the National Assembly for Wales. The book will give authoritative answers to the many questions asked about the party over the years. The book will be divided into two parts. The first part will have three chapters which, when taken together, will offer a chronological overview of Plaid Cymru's ideological development. This will be done by focusing in particular on the influence of the party's leaders in three different periods: Saunders Lewis, Gwynfor Evans and then the period of the two Dafydds (Wigley and Elis-Thomas). These chapters will also look at the ideological tensions within the party during each period and at other influential political thinkers. The second part will focus on particularly significant aspects of Plaid's ideology-for example, the relationship between the nationalism of Plaid Cymru and previous manifestations of nationalism in Wales; utopianism; fascism; political 'methods'. It will close with a chapter on the role of Plaid Cymru in post-devolution Wales.