The Popular Front and the progressive tradition : socialists, liberals, and the quest for unity, 1884-1939

This book is an in-depth exploration of the Popular Front and United Front campaigns in Britain in the late 1930s. Dr Blaazer aims to dispel the myth that these campaigns can be understood largely as a ruse engineered by the Communists into which non-Communists were blindly drawn. Instead he searches for the idea of 'progressive unity' in earlier episodes in the history of the British progressive tradition. By re-assessing the significance of these episodes, and by reconsidering the role of seminal progressive thinkers, he shows that the relationships between liberals and socialists, reformists and revolutionaries, had long been both intimate and fluid. Indeed, the reasons and assumptions behind individual decisions to support the struggle for progressive unity show that the Popular Front was a reasoned and culturally familiar response to a major political crisis. This Book Is An In-depth Exploration Of The Popular Front And United Front Campaigns In Britain In The Late 1930s. The Author Aims To Dispel The Myth That These Campaigns Can Be Understood Largely As A Ruse Engineered By The Communists Into Which Non-communists Were Drawn Blindly. Instead The Author Searches For The Idea Of 'progressive Unity' In Earlier Episodes In The History Of The British Progressive Tradition, Including The Early Life Of The Fabian Society, And The Agitations Against The Boer War, The First World War, And The Treaty Of Versailles. By Reassessing The Significance Of These Episodes, And By Reconsidering The Role Of Seminal Progressive Thinkers In The Formation Of The Ideas And Political Culture Of Labour Leftism, The Author Shows That The Relationships Between Liberals And Socialists, And Between Reformists And Revolutionaries, Had Long Been Both Intimate And Fluid. By Examining The Reasons And Assumptions Behind Individual Labour Leftists' Decisions To Support The Struggle For Progressive Unity In The Late 1930s, It Is Shown That The Popular Front Was Neither An Aberration Nor A 'stunt', But A Reasoned And Culturally Familiar Response To The Major Political Crisis Presented By Fascism And Appeasement. 1. The Progressive Side Of Politics -- 2. The Colours Of The Rainbow -- 3. Imperialism And War -- 4. The Pilgrims' Progress -- 5. Inside The Left -- 6. Fascism, Unity, And Loyalty: 1932-1937 -- 7. The Popular Front. David Blaazer. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 225-240) And Index.

This study explains why the British Labour Party's "left" supported the unsuccessful campaign for the formation of a "Popular Front" of the Labour, Liberal, and Communist parties in the late 1930s. The support of the Labour "left" for the campaign has often been seen as a result of Communist manipulation but here Dr. Blaazer explains it by reassessing a sixty-year period in the progressive tradition in British politics. He argues that the "left" emerged from that tradition, and that its support for a Popular Front was entirely consistent with the practice and ideas of British progressives.

This is a study of the reasons of the British Labour Party's 'left' for supporting the unsuccessful campaign for the formation of a 'Popular Front' of the Labour, Liberal, and Communist parties in the late 1930s. Progressive thought in Britain in the four decades preceding the First World War exhibited an extraordinary eclecticism.