200 years of railways
This year marks the bicentenary of the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. It will rightly be celebrated with events throughout the year…
Historic Notes
Historic Notes
1920–1948: Mandate and misrule
In the Middle East, as elsewhere, the British ruling class sought to justify its interference in other peoples’ countries by blaming them for any troubles…
1871: the fight for Wanstead Flats
Campaigns and direct action by workers in the 19th century saved Wanstead Flats on the edge of east London as an open space for the public…
1964: No to conscription!
Sixty years ago the youth of Britain made it clear that they would not be forcibly enlisted in the armed forces…
1918: The war of intervention
After the bloody world war between rival imperialisms, the British ruling class and its allies turned their attention to the infant Soviet Union…
1984: GCHQ trade union ban
Forty years ago workers at a government intelligence centre stood out against a ban on union membership…
US bases in Britain
Once again, the US is seeking to make even greater use of its bases in Britain. And once again, opposition is building…
1217: The Charter of the Forest
25 October 2023
In 1217 the Charter of the Forest established rights of access to royal forests. It’s still of interest, showing how people can exercise power.
1217: The Charter of the Forest [print version]
A little-known event in medieval times is still of interest today – it tells us how people can exercise their power…
How the NHS was won
Launched in 1948, the NHS wasn’t given to us by benign politicians. It was won by workers fighting over centuries for a health service for all. …
1943: The battle of Kursk [print version]
Eighty years ago, the greatest land and tank battle ever was fought at Kursk, one from which the invading Nazi forces never recovered…
1943: The battle of Kursk
20 June 2023
Raging ferociously from July to August 1943, Kursk was the most decisive battle of the Second World War, crucially transforming anti-fascist fortunes.
Slavery, banks and empire
Only the ruling class benefited from slavery. During the long struggle to end it over 1.5 million of Britain’s 12 million people signed petitions against it…
1942: Betteshanger Colliery
Employers have always tried to make strikes illegal and ineffective. One group of workers stood up to intimidation in the middle of war…
The destructive dominance of finance capitalism
22 December 2022
Finance capital wants to increase profits and to subordinate the production of goods and services for people’s needs. It has developed to become the malign global financial system we know today.
The financialisation of capital [Print version]
Finance capitalism keeps a malign stranglehold over the real economy, serving only a tiny group of super-wealthy speculators. How did this come about?
1974-1978: the Social Contract [print version]
Heightened class struggle in the early 1970s was neutered by a Labour government and trade union establishment working in tandem…
1974–78: the Social Contract, trade unions and the Labour government
27 October 2022
Struggles erupted in the early 1970s, notably the engineering union’s destruction of the 1971 Industrial Relations Act and the miners’ fight over pay. The new Labour government preached class conciliation in exchange for moderation of wages.
1926: the General Strike
Given the siren calls for similar action often heard now, it’s vital to recognise what actually happened the last time a general strike was held…
What caused World War One?
Today’s world situation is similar to that of the pre-1914 years when imperialist forces were also intent on dividing up the planet’s resources…
The inexorable road to World War One
22 June 2022
World War One scarred the twentieth century with over 16 million dead and millions more injured, brought about by competition between great imperialst powers. It's lessons are relevant still.
1916: Lenin on imperialism
Deep into the First World War, Lenin produced a seminal study of the economic origins of the conflict and a political analysis to guide action…
The genius of Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday never went to a public school, nor to a university. But no scientist has ever been more influential…
Afghanistan's 40 year war
Afghanistan is known as “the graveyard of empires”. In its unhappy history the country has long been the victim of imperial ambition and aggression…
1848: The Communist Manifesto
Marx’s earth-shattering declaration is truer than ever – those performing all the necessary labour must take over the running of society themselves…
1951: the Festival of Britain
25 August 2021
Post-war Britain was beset by problems. For the majority of people, life was hard and difficult. The 1951 Festival of Britain was an antidote, looking to the future. It was immensely enjoyed and appreciated by the millions who attended.
1951: the Festival of Britain [print version]
Seventy years ago, in the midst of post-war austerity and rationing, Britain found the will to create a remarkable, popular festival…
1945: Labour’s foreign policy
The end of the Second World War could have ushered in a progressive foreign policy for Britain. Labour ensured that it didn’t…
1941: Seven against the state
During World War Two, the government prosecuted seven workers because they defended their union convenor. It did not turn out how they expected…
Workers’ health in South Wales [print version]
With another set of reforms to the NHS in prospect, it’s worth looking at what workers did for themselves in the past…