Labour's Economic Ideology Since 1900

Developed Through Crises

Christopher Kirkland

• Publisher: Bristol University Press
• Year: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781529204322
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Économie
• Subtopic: Politique économique

This book traces the economic ideology of the UK Labour Party from its origins to the current day. Through its analysis, the book emphasises key crises, including the 1926 General Strike, the 1931 Great Depression, the 1979 Winter of Discontent and the 2007/2008 economic crisis.In analysing this history, the ideology of the Labour Party is examined through four core themes: • the party's definition of socialism; • the role of the state in economic decision making; • the party's understanding of inequalities; and• its relationship with the trade union movement. The result is a systematic exploration of the drivers and key ideas behind the Labour Party's economic ideology. In demonstrating how crises have affected the party's economic policy, the book presents a historical analysis of the party's evolution since its formation and offers insights into how future changes may occur.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgements
• 1 Introduction: The Labour Party’s Economic Policy and Crises
• 2 Taff Vale and the First World War
• 3 Governing in Hard Times: The Second Labour Government and Need for a Coherent Economic Policy
• 4 The Second World War, Reconstruction and Revisionism
• 5 Testing the Labour–Unions Relationship
• 6 The Advent of New Labour
• 7 New Labour and the Global Financial Crisis
• 8 Electoral Revision
• 9 Conclusion
• References
• Index