This brilliant analysis, first published in 1923, predicted the development of shop floor bargaining and explains how attitudes, doubts and fears have remained relatively fixed yet open to various pressures. Most of all, it shows why employers extended recognition to work place unionism in the crucial years of 1917-19. This title will be of interest to students and scholars of labour history.
First published in 1920, Guild Socialism Restated is G. D. H. Cole's fullest and most systematic ac-count of his vision of industrial and political reorganization. An Oxford University political theorist and an influential figure on the British Left between the two world wars, Cole was the best-known advocate of Guild Social-ism a form of socialist thought that sought to transfer control of industry to professional "guilds" or self-governing associations of producers.The introductory chapters of Guild Socialism Restated develop the theme of democratic citizen-ship in relation to industrial so-ciety. Cole contends that neither capitalism nor state socialism can adequately meet the fundamental requirements of democracy be-cause neither provides institutions through which active citizenship can be achieved. He insists that the latter can be realized only in the realm of industrial relations. In so doing, Cole anticipates such contemporary themes as workers' self-management and participatory democracy, and he envisions also the corporatist mode of or-ganization that some would see as a defining quality of postindustrial societies.The central chapters of the book develop a view of socialist organi-zation in which citizenship is a vital ingredient in every arena from that of the workplace to na-tional policymaking. Guild So-cialism Restated is also notable for its effort to come to terms with nonindustrial interests, and to provide representations for indi-viduals as consumers and citi-zens not only as producers.Cole's book concludes with an assessment of the transition to so-cialism. He proposes that there is a "third way" in addition to politi-cal reform and civil war one that will be both revolutionary and gradual. Cole writes that "he who wishes revolution to succeed should hasten towards it slowly.
A collection of essays from a revered member of the British Labour Party. What distinguished Cole was his distance from traditional marxist and bureaucratic labour approaches. Neither a Communist nor a Social Democrat (nowadays referred to as a Democratic Socialist a la Bernie Sanders) Cole desired a socialism that centered freedom for workers—an end to capitalist exploitation, workers’ management of production, and an expanding democracy in all realms of social life.
First published in 1937, What is Ahead of Us? is a collection of essays, which were originally presented as lectures before the Fabian Society. Conceived in an era of growing fascism and economic despair, the essays urge the reader to imagine more equitable alternatives to capitalism. The authors offer socialism as a solution but what is more interesting is their criticism of capitalism and the connections they draw between capitalism and fascism using examples from the West. This book will be of interest to students of history, economics and political science.
First published in 1941. This purpose of this history of the earlier phases of the political Labour movement was due to the author's belief that there was a need for a positive effort to re-create the legion of inspired and untiring propagandists for Socialism whose work made the Labour Party possible. This title will be of interest to scholars and students of history and politics.
First published in 1951. The purpose of this study was to consider the prospects of the British Co-operative movement in all its main aspects and not as a consumers’ movement only. The author examines ways in which the Co-operative enterprise, in its various forms, could best be fitted into the economic structure of the coming society. This title will be of great interest to scholars and students of labour history.
First published in 1939. This book provides a balanced picture of Trade Unionism as it was in the 1930s, both in general and in each of the principal industries and services. The study opens with a brief outline of Trade Union history, before examining Trade Unions in various industries, including mining, transport, and the postal service. British Trade Unionism To-Day will be of great interest to students and scholars of labour and political history.
This volume sets forth as simply as possible the theoretical foundations which underlie the practical policies of democratic Socialism. This involves both a repudiation and a refutation of the assumptions of the older classical economists who believed in laissez-faire, and a careful differentiation of the economics of democratic Socialism from the neo-classical doctrines associated with the name of Maynard Keynes.
This is volume 3 of the set A Short History of the British Working Class Movement (1937). The volumes reprinted here provide a general narrative of the history of the working class movement in all its main aspects - Trade Unions, Socialism and Co-operatives. The historical focus is upon the latter part of the eighteenth century, set against a background of economic and social history.
Originally published in 1913. Author: Henri Lichtenberger Language: English Keywords: History Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Obscure Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.Keywords: English Keywords 1900s Language English Artwork
First published in 1920, Chaos and Order in Industry studies the causes and solutions to labour strikes as well as inadequacies in industry organizations. It proposes that the problems afflicting industry and labour does not only affect the working class, but also affects the middle and the upper class who may be unable to realize the connection due to their class prejudice. It states that the industry needs to comply with human standards of value by which it is being judged. This book will be of interest to students of economics and history.
This volume compares the planning of economic conditions under the very different political systems of Soviet Russia, Fascist Germany and Italy and Democratic America, with some discussion of partial economic planning in Great Britain. It includes a broad survey of the successive phases of the Five Year Plans in the Soviet Union, the "New Deal" in the United States, and the diversion of the German economic activity to war preparation under the Nazi Four Year Plan. The author discusses the essential conditions for successful economic planning.
First published in 1924. This book provides a balanced picture of Trade Unionism as it was in the 1920s. The study opens with a brief outline of Trade Union history, before examining Trade Unions’ structure, its place in government, and the internal issues that Trade Unions faced. Organised Labour will be of great interest to students and scholars of labour and political history.
This is volume 2 of the set A Short History of the British Working Class Movement (1937). The volumes reprinted here provide a general narrative of the history of the working class movement in all its main aspects - Trade Unions, Socialism and Co-operatives. The historical focus is upon the latter part of the eighteenth century, set against a background of economic and social history.
First published in 1920, Social Theory endeavours to put together the social contents of various experiences of the ordinary man, and to make them, as far as they form one, a coherent and consistent whole. Social theory is not concerned directly with all the actions of individual men, but mainly with their actions taken in concert through some temporary or permanent organized group, and with the actions of such groups as they affect and react upon the individual. It is not primarily concerned with the State but with the whole problem of human association – that is, of associative will and action. This book will be of interest to students of economics, political science and sociology.
First published in 1971. This volume explores Socialism by the author who was the Chairman of the Fabian Executive. It is written from the demand of a intepretation of Socialism in the light of the conditions crated by World War Two.
Written two years after the commencement of the Second World War, the chapters in this book succinctly put forward the case for reorganizing the foundations of the social order, by rejecting capitalism and historical equilibrium, both in Europe and further afield in the British Empire, in favour of building a Socialist civilization.
First published in 1928, The Payment of Wages came out amid the controversies over workshop conditions caused by the Great War. It has held its place as the standard work describing the various systems of wage payments and their effects. Mr. Cole raises challengingly the question of the need for a completely new policy on the part of the trade unions and employees alike. This book is sure to provoke discussion, and would be of interest to students of economy and history.
This book represents an important stage in the development of an indigenous theory. The argument is presented with the special qualities of cogency and perception which have given the author a lasting influence within the labour movement.
First published in 1925. Robert Owen was, in the author’s words, ‘that rarest of phenomena, an utterly disinterested critic of a system by which he had himself risen to greatness’, and in studying his life this work reveals with a remarkable clarity the first phases of the Industrial Revolution crowded as it was with events, changes, ideas, and characters. This title will be of great interest to scholars and students of labour history.
Cole saw the trade unions as being critical to progress, but to realise their role they needed to change and the issue of trade union structure therefore became fundamental. He considered in this volume that trade union structure was a central problem of the labour movement – he described British trade unionism as a movement bereft of ideas and policy. He discusses the evolution in the trade unions to cover not only wages and working conditions but the organisation and control of industry.
This volume was Cole's first major work of political economy in almost a decade and it effectively positioned him as a mainstream Fabian who sought to stabilize capitalism before progressing socialism by essentially statist means. Influenced by J A Hobson and Maynard Keynes the imperative for Cole became the formulation of a strategy which would mitigate the suffering of the masses and lay the basis for socialist advance.
First published in 1955, Studies in Class Structure contains six studies in problems of social structure, relating mainly to contemporary British society. Professor Cole studies an analysis of the information about class structure contained in the British Census of 1951; and he also deals with the changes in British class structure during the past hundred years. He considers the structure of elites in contemporary Britain, with some account of their development. He is also concerned with the influence of technical changes on class structures in Europe. These studies do not pretend to embody a comprehensive treatment of the problems of social structure: each of them stands by itself as a sharply original treatment of the many facets of class structure. This book will be of interest to students of economics, sociology and history.
Originally published in 1930, the essays in this book discuss some of the leading financial controversies of the early 1930s in non-technical language. Rationalisation, the Gold Standard and the problems of currency and credit in their relation to unemployment are among the questions discussed. The volume as a whole is a plea at once for a revision of the (then) current banking policy and for a more energetic effort by the Government to break into the vicious circle of unemployment and under-consumption.
This book, first published in 1942, covers the whole field of wartime life and organization. Is the private ownership and control of industry holding up production? Are the burdens of war being shared equally by the whole community? How can individual liberty be reconciled with maximum efficiency? Are women taking their rightful share in the national effort? Does our literature and art reflect the spirit of an aroused and determined people? Have we a message which will win the oppressed peoples of Europe to our side? These questions are frankly discussed and positive suggestions are made.
Originally written as a series of pamphlets and at a time of high unemployment, this volume discusses free trade, monetary policy, wages and employment, economic theory and social legislation.
First published in 1956, The Post-War Condition of Britain measures the extent of changes in Britain since the thirties. It contains more than two hundred tables on such matters as the national income, employment, production and productivity, investment and consumption; health, education, housing, and the insurance, assistance and similar services; on Trade Unions and industrial relations; class structure, political attitudes and party organizations; and the problems of local government and town and country planning. It is simply written, demanding from the reader the minimum of technical knowledge of economics or other specialized studies, and it should serve as an invaluable reference book for all who need exact information.
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