In and Against the State

by London Edinburgh Weekend Return Group, Donald MacKenzie, John Holloway

In 1979 the London Edinburgh Weekend Return Group, a working group of the Conference of Socialist Economists, published this work as a pamphlet; then reissued with minor updates to the original text, and then a substantial postscript was released the following year.

The book discusses the experience of working class people - mostly socialists - working in the public sector in the late 1970s: having to relying upon the State as service provider while simultaneously trying to subvert systems of unjust power and domination; exploring the associated contradictions and tensions.

Genres: Politics

147 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1980

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

An underappreciated text which uses a semi-inquiry method through discussion with various socialists involved in the state in some way or another - either as an employee or someone on the receiving end of certain state welfare institutions - which attempts to start formulating an answer to the difficult and still pertinent question of how revolutionary communists should approach the state. Overall I think it comes to interesting conclusions, and the idea of 'in and against' certainly holds up in some regards, however, there are a number of conclusions that seem to me (perhaps due to the blessing of hindsight) to be misguided, particularly that which argues we should work within and against the Labour Party.

[Jnoub101 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A flawed but inspiring work. I must say that even if I have big critiques of this book I also think the problems it engaged, and, more importantly, how it approached them, offer important lessons for radicals today.

[Molly Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for work so idk if it counts but I did really like it