Based on a decade of research in over twenty archives, The Chronology of Revolution is an accessible and richly detailed work of historical and cultural analysis that fixes its gaze on the legacy of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). Communists anticipated that the party, formed in the world's first industrialized nation, would be in the vanguard of world revolution. Instead, the party never came close to matching the political power of the British Labour Party or continental Communist Parties in France or Italy and dissolved itself in 1991.

In this book, Ben Harker draws on the ideas of Antonio Gramsci to argue that the CPGB, despite having great influence over British culture, never fully appreciated the importance of civil society to its political strength. Analysing party members' efforts in fields such as science, journalism, the arts, broadcasting, and education, The Chronology of Revolution offers an alternative, radical history of Britain between 1920 and 1991 that draws out important lessons for the contemporary Left.

About the Author
Ben Harker is a senior lecturer in twentieth-century literature at the University of Manchester.

Reviews

"Harker takes us back to a time where it was possible to imagine a different world. Critically sharp, yet avowedly recuperative, he asks us to think again about the enabling agency of the party."

-- John Green * Morning Star *

"Harker's book is a clever interplay between culture and politics and relevant to those who study the communist movement in the developed West, as well as those who are pondering questions related to the future of the left in the twenty-first century."

-- Elke Weesjes, The City University of New York * Labour/Le Travail *

"Ben Harker has produced a well-researched and engaging account of the history of the Communist Party of Great Britain, seen through the lens of the party's cultural activity and the ideas that informed its work in this arena. The book is beautifully produced."

-- Lawrence Parker * Weekly Worker *

"This is a significant study, and one that should be read by all those with an interest in either the history British Communism, or the future direction of the political left."

-- Malcolm Petrie, University of St. Andrews * Scottish Labour History *



Book Information
ISBN 9781487507398
Author Ben Harker
Format Hardback
Page Count 376
Imprint University of Toronto Press
Publisher University of Toronto Press
Weight(grams) 670g
Dimensions(mm) 235mm * 163mm * 28mm