Revolt on the Clyde

by William Gallacher

No one speaks of the Red Clyde, the shop stewards movements, the establishment of the Rent Restrictions Acts, or the anti-war campaigns of 1914 - 1918 without William Gallacher emerging as one of the central figures. This autobiography relates to his early years in the Social Democratic Federation, the struggles to form workers' and soldiers' councils on Clydeside during the First World War and his meeting with Lenin in 1920. Gallacher gives a vivid account of the upheavals in Glasgow immediately following the war, which culminated in the Battle of George Square in 1919 and also describes the formation and turbulent early years of the British Communist Party of which he was a founding member. Revolt on the Clyde is a forceful and inspiring portrait of militant activity in an era whose struggles are still resounding today. First published in 1936, now with an introduction by Michael McGahey, former President of the Scottish Area of the National Union of Mineworkers, Gallacher's book provides us with valuable insights into key years of the formation of Scotland's distinctive political culture.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics, Scotland

312 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 1978

About the author

William Gallacher was a Scottish trade unionist, activist and communist. Born in the Irish ghetto of Sneddon in Paisley, he was one of the leading figures of the Shop Stewards' Movement in wartime Glasgow (the 'Red Clydeside' period) and a founding member of the Communist Party of Great Britain. He served two terms in the House of Commons as the last Communist Member of Parliament (MP).

Reviews

[Jamie Bookboy Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mandatory reading for any Scottish communist. Fascinating

[Symon Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was both delightful and instructive to read Gallacher's first-hand account of events on Red Clydeside. He writes well. Most of the time, the book is fast-paced and absorbing. At times the story becomes a bit slow, and at times Gallacher seems more interested in addressing conflicts that are going on at the time he was writing rather than the time he was describing. But this doesn't spoil the book. Especially if read in conjunction with other accounts of the time (some of which take very different perspectives), this is a very useful read, as well as an entertaining one.