History

Also published the Workers' Liberty website here.

The stories of 1919 are historic struggles. But mostly, they failed. Even when they succeeded in heading off a particular attack or winning an advance, they did not succeed in remaking society.

This would be the year in which the capitalist state rigorously enforced the role of the police, purging them of rebels, ensuring their loyalty and cutting any link between them and the workers’ movement. The events of 1919 shaped the police force we have now: an obedient enforcer of the system’s interests.

Also published on the Workers' Liberty website here.

1918 had ended with British women voting in a general election for the first time ever. But it was only those aged 30 or over and who met a property qualification who could vote.

Also published on the Workers' Liberty website here.

After Britain and its Allies had won the war, proclaiming themselves champions of freedom and democracy, the people of its imperial possessions stepped up their democratic demand for some of that freedom for themselves.

India

Also published on the Workers' Liberty website, here.

Soldier F said he only harmed
protesters who held bombs or arms
Soldier F had truths to hide
The soldier lied

Lord Saville said
none of the dead
had posed a threat
but that did not stop Soldier F

When one-and-twenty soldiers shoot
then why no prospect to prosecute
Soldier L or Soldier M
who killed a lad who crawled from them?

In this three-minute video, Janine introduces the momentous events of 1919.

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A new short book (40 pages + cover), written by Janine Booth and published by Workers' Liberty.

In 1919, inspired by the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, British workers took more strike action than ever before. But communists in Britain had still not formed a united party. Labour's representation in Parliament was weak.

When Rosa gazed through prison bars to street
She saw the water buffalo which drove
The heavy coated cart on cloven feet
And when they could not pull their weighty load
Their master turned his whip and beat and strapped
Until they bled and flinched and hauled and strained
The final yards, their last resources sapped
And stood, defeated, bloodied, sad and pained