British Labour Party
- California Stanford University Press 1964
- 340p.
The appearance of this history of the British Labour Party is especially timely in view of the recent rise in the popularity and political prospects of the Labour Party under the leadership! of Harold Wilson. A straightforward narrative' extending from the rise of political Labour in the 1880'S to the present day, this history deals chiefly with the period since 1914, which has seen Labour attain and consolidate its position as one of England's two great parties. While the book's emphasis is naturally upon the policies and programs accepted by the party majority and leadership, attention is also paid to the frequently colorful minority movements within the party. The author's general interpretation illustrates the paradoxical nature of Labour: a party of movement that has a regard for con- tinuity; Idealist in aims, but practical in methods; a party of the middle way that has a place for a strong radical wing; socialist in doctrine but with a firm sense of the importance of individual rights. In the interest of brevity, documentation and extensive quotation have been avoided, but sufficient citations are given to serve as guides for further study.