عنوان

British Marxist Socialism and Trade Unionism :

Number

TLets469739

Title Proper

British Marxist Socialism and Trade Unionism :

General Material Designation

[Thesis]

First Statement of Responsibility

Rabinovitch, V.

Title Proper by Another Author

The Attitudes, Experiences and Activities of the Social-Democratic Federation (1884-1901).

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

University of Sussex

Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.

1977

Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree

Ph.D.

Body granting the degree

University of Sussex

Text preceding or following the note

1977

Text of Note

This thesis examines the attitudes, experiences and activitiesof Britain's first marxist socialist organization, the Social-DemocraticFederation, and how its relationship with trade unionism emerged andevolved in the period from 1884 to 1901. The objectives of this study aretwo-fold. First, it attemrts to provide certain general insights into theissues and problems involved in the analysis of trade unionism, with Farticularemphasis on the various marxist socialist tendencies in political thoughtwhich were present in the SDF. Second, it attempts to provide a detailedunderstanding of the ideas and activities of various SDF members who madeimportant contributions to the development of British trade unionism duringthe final two decades of the 19th century.To achieve these objectives a number of questions are raised, andanswers to them suggested. These include: What basic analysis of tradeunionism did Marx and Engels develop in their basic texts which were availableto the British SDF? How did the Social-Democratic strategic and theoreticalanalysis develop over the years until 1901? What specific issues andalternatives strategies were examined in the course of Social-Democraticdebates on unionism? In what activities and organisational ventures didSDF members become involved? How did British SDF attitudes compare to thoseexpressed by marxist socialists in other parties and countries? The answerssuggested to these questions lead to a brief discussion of a central issue inlabour political theory, namely, the nature of the complex relationshipbetween the broad objectives of social revolution and the gradualistperspective of general trade unionism._ý,s.nThe information in this thesis is derived from a detailed studyof publications produced by SDF members during the late 19th and early20th centuries. Particular attention was given to a close reading ofthe weekly SDF newspaper, Justice. These sources were the primary mediumto which SDF debates took place, advice given and activities reported.These main sources of information are supplemented by reference to secondarystudies on the social, economic, political biographic and trade union contextsto the study. Extensive references are also made to the comments andreports of other contemporary socialist and radical groups, and to manylocal and national commercial publications, as well as to certain memoirsand unpublished materials.

Rabinovitch, V.

University of Sussex

Electronic name

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y