The rise of nuclear power [print version]
Britain’s nuclear power industry had its origins in outstanding research – and led to the first atomic electricity station in the capitalist world…
Historic Notes
Historic Notes
Jamaica: Britain and slavery
British rule in Jamaica lasted over 300 years – and revolts against its brutal plantation system helped bring an end to slavery across the Empire…
C19th London: skill and class
As the 19th century dawned, trade unions were made illegal, prices rose, wages fell. Skilled workers led the fightback…
Victory in Europe: 8 May 1945
8 May 2020
The Soviet Union bore the brunt of the Second World War in Europe, which ended with the defeat of fascism 75 years ago on 8 May 1945. The balance of class forces shifted away from capitalism for a few post-war decades...
1870: The Education Act
Britain took a halting step forward along the road to universal education in the 1870s – but not without ruling class opposition…
The 1870 Education Act: the road to universal education
4 April 2020
The 1870 Education Act was a great step towards achieving universal education, a powerful force for workers’ emancipation.
Trico 1976: a fighting victory
A few months after the Equal Pay Act came into force, a group of engineering workers in London took on their reluctant employer and won…
70 years of Nato aggression
NATO has marked its 70th anniversary in London. But for anyone who cares about peace, there was nothing to celebrate. Quite the reverse…
1819: The Peterloo Massacre
3 December 2019
Two hundred years ago, 18 people were killed and 654 injured participating in a peaceful rally calling for the reform of a corrupt parliament...
1819: The Peterloo Massacre [shorter version]
Two hundred years ago, 18 people were killed and hundreds injured taking part in a peaceful rally calling for the reform of a corrupt parliament…
1917–1920: the Russian Civil War [shorter version]
After the October Revolution, soldiers from 15 countries invaded Russia in an attempt to destroy the Soviet Union, but it emerged victorious…
1917 - 1920: the Russian Civil War
20 August 2019
The October Revolution of 1917 triumphed decisively in Russia. Anti-popular forces soon conspired to overturn the new era; soldiers from many countries invaded to combat the revolution, but failed.
1688: A modern revolution
A revolution that paved the way for modern Britain is often derided as reactionary and backward looking. The opposite is true…
Glasgow 1919 – the legacy
Glasgow in 1919 was at the heart of British working class activity, but it’s worth separating the myth from the reality…
An independent thinker and poet
Around 500 years ago William Tyndale produced a Bible in English – and paid for it with his life…
William Tyndale – independent thinker and poet
10 February 2019
William Tyndale was one of the great independent thinkers who set England on a course to think and act for ourselves. He also helped to make English a great language of poets and writers the world over.
Finance capital – our enemy
During the last two centuries, finance capital has progressively become remote from and hostile to the real economy…
The First World War: 1914 - 1918
Driven by the jostling of aggressive empires, the First World War undermined the working classes of Europe at a point when they were in an upswing…
The English Civil War (1642-1649)
A war unique in our history: a remaking of our country was fought not only on the field of war but also in people’s hearts and minds…
Trade unions – past, and future
As our working class fought to survive, organisation began locally and grew organically, not relying on outside help…
British trade unions: early origins
The British working class was the first proletariat in the world to emerge out of the land. It had to make a stand or go under…
Populism: a force to reckon with
Anything outside the norm that attracts support from the people but is feared by vested interests is likely to be labelled “populist”. What does it mean?
Highs and lows - from the 1930s to the 1980s
The high point of achievement for the British working class was 1945, and the post war years that followed. But how did 1945 happen?
1917: a world shaking
The Russian October Revolution overthrew the rule of exploiters for the first time in history…
The Long March (1934–35) - shorter version
The most extraordinary march in human history changed the balance of forces not only in China but also in the world…
The Long March (1934-35)
24 August 2017
On 16 October 1934, about 100,000 men and women in China’s Red Army broke out of their surrounded soviet base. Their extraordinary year-long march to the other end of China changed not only the balance of forces in China but also the world.
1833 - 1838: The Tolpuddle Martyrs
7 July 2017
The Tolpuddle Martyrs were transported for resisting starvation wages and forming a trade union. The annual festival commemorating them – absent for two years because of Covid-19 – was held again this July in Tolpuddle, Dorset.
Don't give way, make headway
History shows that when we rely slavishly on legislation our aspirations for advance have subsided, along with our organisation…
The struggle for paid holidays
Until the latter part of the 19th century, paid holidays hardly existed for workers in Britain. So how and when were they won? (A clue: not by the EU)
Class struggle across a nation
We look at two struggles from the late 19th century that helped define our class, and what Britain means…