Marxists must study the history of the class struggle, so that we can apply the lessons in the struggle for communism today. Here, you can find our most recent historical articles. For theoretical articles, click here.
You can also visit our education hub to find a selection of articles, books, talks and reading guides.
Only now, on the seventh day of the General Strike, did the TUC leadership bring out its “second line” of workers, who came out enthusiastically. For the TUC leadership, the movement was threatening to move far beyond their control.
Determination remained high among the workers on day six of the General Strike. The same could not be said for their weakening leadership. The TUC was now actively working with the government to call off the strike, but the miners were refusing to accept defeat.
On day five of the Strike, Prime Minister Baldwin gave the first emergency radio broadcast to the country, where he warned: “I am a man of peace… but I will not surrender the safety and the security of the British Constitution”. This pressure was acutely felt by the TUC leaders.
The fourth day of the strike saw the trade union leaders continue their attempts to do secret deals with the government to end the strike. While the TUC appealed for calm, the workers were left to lead the struggle themselves.
By the third day of the General Strike both sides had started to accept the reality of the struggle. Workers could feel their strength, and could see that the government was at its wits’ end. But their leaders were desperate to reach a settlement.
On the second day of the strike the government rolled out its carefully prepared plans to crush it. But the class balance of forces had been revealed: 30,000 strikebreaking volunteers had been mobilised, but 3 million workers were on strike.
Tuesday 4 May was the opening shot of a titanic class battle. Bit by bit, the arteries of economic life in Britain were methodically shut down as the workers answered the TUC’s call. For the government and the bosses, nothing had prepared them for the completeness of the stoppage.
48 years ago today, a young Bengali textile worker Altab Ali was murdered in a racist attack in Whitechapel east London. The murder sparked the legendary ‘Battle of Brick Lane’, where over the year 1978, Bengali youth spearheaded and defeated the fascist National Front.
Between August 1925 and May 1926, battle lines were drawn on the field of class war. On one side stood the owners of capital, with the might of the British state behind them. On the other stood a powerful labour movement. By 1 May, this tense situation could no longer be ignored.
100 years on from the British General Strike, we are excited to announce a new two-week article series following the events of the strike day by day, across the regions of Britain. The RCP is keeping the flame of 1926 alive, and passing on these valuable lessons to a new generation of class fighters.
There is no doubt that the Chinese Revolution, led by Mao, is one of the greatest events in human history. It freed China from the shackles of imperialism after a heroic, decades-long struggle. In this episode, Daniel Morley discusses Mao’s life, legacy, and limits.
Chartism was the first time ever that British workers fixed their eyes on the seizure of political power: in 1839, 1842 and again in 1848. In this struggle, they conducted a class war that at different times involved general strikes, battles with the state, mass demonstrations and even armed insurrection.