Politics of Hope: The Origins of Socialism in Britain 1880-1914

by Edmund Frow, Ruth Frow (Editor)

1880 to 1914 were years of hope for Socialists, buoyed by the unshakeable conviction that real and radical change was not only possible but inevitable. This collection of pamphlets from the period documents the spread of the socialist message and the subtle changes in emphasis as the movement grew in size and sophistication. It also reveals how strongly individual activists felt that Socialism was the best - and indeed the only - way forward for Britain at the end of the 19th century. From William Morris to George Bernard Shaw and H.G.Wells, the writers whose pamphlets are collected here share a sense of optimism and hope that is inspiring. Edmund and Ruth Frow are the founders of the Working Class Movement Library in Manchester. Recently retired from a lifetime's work for the trade union movement, they now devote their time to consolidating and expanding one of the finest archive collections of trade union and socialist writing in the world. The library itself has become a centre for research and study for the labour movement.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1989