Raising the Red Flag
Marxism, Labourism, and the Roots of British Communism, 1884–1921
Raising the Red Flag is a stirring exploration of the origins of the British Marxist movement, from the creation of the Social Democratic Federation to the foundation of the Communist Party.
It tells a story of rising class struggle, the founding of the Labour Party, the fight against World War One, the Russian Revolution, and the explosive year of 1919.
The book also uses new archival sources to re-examine Marxist organisations such as the British Socialist Party, the Socialist Labour Party, and Sylvia Parkhurst's Workers' Socialist Federation.
Above all, this is the story of men and women who fought to liberate the working class from capitalism through socialist revolution.
Tony Collins is Emeritus Professor of History at De Montfort University. He has published extensively on working-class culture and sport, including Sport in Capitalist Society and Rugby League: A People’s History.