Keith Flett and Dave Renton, New Approaches to Socialist History

New Approaches to Socialist History showcases a range of new writing demonstrating the vitality of socialist history today. The activities of social movements are analysed in specific struggles, from the Chartist campaign of the nineteenth century, through the strikes of the early twentieth century, to the Seattle protests of 1999. Leadership issues are approached in biographical chapters on European and American trade unionists, and the radical British politician Stafford Cripps. The role of class in history is examined through accounts of left-wing politics in post-war Egypt and class issues in the American Civil War.

Finally, the question of why some episodes in working-class history have been overlooked is addressed through the industrial unrest of the early 1970s and the Scottish general strike of 1820. Fascinating in themselves, the contributions to this book - through their focus on leadership and revolt, class organization and protest - also offer a valuable insight into recent anti-capitalist struggles

Other contributors - Neil Davidson, Andrew Dawson, Ralph Darlington, Dave Lyddon, Keith Flett, Craig Phelan, John Charlton, Anne Alexander, Paul Grist, Toby Abse, Ian Birchall.

'It has been widely suggested that socialist history is redundant and that the influence of left-wing ideas is a matter of past interest, but the chapters in this book tell a very different story. Indeed they suggest that interest in socialist history is as strong as ever . . . Meanwhile, the rebirth of the global protest movement provides further evidence that the tide has turned in favour of an active socialist history.' From the Introduction

This book was published by New Clarion Press, Cheltenham, 2003. ISBN 1873797419. £12.95. New Clarion Press can be contacted via their http://www.newclarionpress.co.uk, or at 5 Church Row, Gretton, Cheltenham GL54 5HG, UK, tel./fax (0)1242 620623, email sales@newclarionpress.co.uk.

Roger Darlington, 'Through a Class Darkly', Connect Review, September 2003

When we were at school, most of us were taught history in terms of battles and treaties secured by great soldiers and statesmen. So it a refreshing change to read "New Approaches To Socialist History", a set of essays that looks at history through the prism of working class movements, their struggles and strikes, and their trade union and political leaders.

The ten well-researched and well-argued chapters in this fascinating if sometimes controversial book were originally delivered as papers at a conference organised by the London Socialist Historians Group in May 2000. They have been edited for this collection by Keith Flett (Connect activist and BT Committee member) and Dave Renton (academic at Sunderland University).

The editors point out, in an introduction, that: "Labour history became a deeply unfashionable subject during the Tory years 1979 to 1997 and it has made an uncertain return since". The reasons are obvious: the collapse of the Soviet Union and its satellites, the decline of trade union membership and strength, and the triumphalism of the neo-liberal agenda. Yet, as at least one contributor points out, the current anti-globalisation movement shows that rank and file protest is far from dead and, in developing such movements in the future, maybe there are some lessons to learn from the past.

The ten pieces are quite eclectic.

Some are biographical: a critical assessment of post-war Labour Chancellor Stafford Cripps' trajectory from "radical insider" to "custodian of orthodoxy"; a sympathetic view of French labour leader Alfred Rosmer (" a dissident among dissidents"); and a supportive profile of the "flawed but worthy hero" American labour leader Terence Powderly.

Other chapters are more chronological: the Scottish General Strike of 1820; the rise of Chartism in the mid 19th century and the New Unionism movement of the late 1880s; strikes in Bradford in 1891 & 1910; and the British strike wave of 1972 (a critique of the Communist Party "emphasis on getting left officials elected" taking "precedence over sustaining rank and file activity").

Still other chapters address issues arising out of the American civil war, the 1952 Free Officers' coup in Egypt, and the role of post-war Italian communist leader Palmiro Togliatti.

As my brother (a co-author of one of these essays) would testify from our frequent debates, I do not share the political position of most of the contributors to this collection, but I recognise it as a thoughtful and stimulating contribution to a frequently neglected labour history.

"New Approaches To Socialist History" is published by New Clarion Press, 5 Church Row, Gretton, Cheltenham GL54 5HG, paperback £12.95, hardback £25

Rachel Cohen, 'New Approaches to Socialist History', Bookmarks Review of Books, autumn 2003

This is a diverse collection, geographically and historically. It explores periods such as the American civil war, left wing politics in the Second World War, Egypt, as well as the anti-capitalist protests of Seattle in 1999. Further, it cannot be accused of presenting a Eurocentric view of socialist history. In an age of global capitalism it is vital and refreshing to see a collection of lived histories relating local struggles to worldwide resistance. Socialist history has traditionally been dominated by trade unionism and strike action.

While this collection rediscovers significant labour leaders whose lives were poorly recorded, for example, Stafford Cripps and Terence Powderley, as well as re-examining the roots of Chartism, more importantly it also captures the cultural changes in socialism, and questions what constitutes socialist struggle at the end of the 20th century.