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Will I like it the first time

The maiden speech in the British House of Commons

Bibliographic Data

ID6258710
AuthorsJorgen Rasmussen (0000-0003-3687-5530, Iowa State University, corresponding author)
Year1988
Volume16
Issue5
Pages527-544
Publication date1988-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEuropean Journal of Political Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0304-4130 • E-ISSN: 1475-6765
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1475-6765.1988.tb00167.x
OpenAlexW1931328188
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited5

The initial speeches of MPs entering the British House of Commons from 1966 to 1970 were analyzed to ascertain the extent to which they complied with the prevailing myth of behaviour appropriate for maiden speeches. Rituals of style ‐ hesitancy, brevity, and humility ‐were challenged more sharply than were those of substance ‐ references to one's predecessor and one's constituency and being non‐contentious. Despite widespread violation of the various norms, few new MPs defied the folkways across the board. Although a new breed of MP ‐ young, well‐educated, and professionally oriented ‐ was entering the Commons at this time, such MPs did not prove to be the principal source of challenges to the folkways. Iconoclastic MPs tended to have less durable careers than did those MPs more acceptant of tradition. But neither Labour nor Conservatives penalized deviants by denying them positions in the Government. In the absence of sanctions, new Members complied with the myth only when the code of acceptable behaviour appeared to help the Commons function effectively and when new Members were not being singled out for discriminatory treatment

Commons · Function (biology · Government (linguistics · House of Commons · Humility · Law and economics · Linguistics · Mythology · Political science · Principal (computer security · Sanctions · Sociology · Style (visual arts · Classics · Computer Science · History · Law · Philosophy · Political and Economic history of UK and US

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Unique citing works4
Citations per year0,11
Citation span1989 - 2026 (38)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 4

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