Culture, Sport and Socialism

In the early 20th Century, the socialist workers' movements of Europe and America were vast forces for human progress. Their battles for basic political freedoms, equality and the 8-hour day shook the world and inspire socialists to this day. But those movements were more than just trade unions and political parties. They created a unique, socialist culture of their own. Working-class sporting associations, "workers' olympiads", socialist cycling clubs and socialist choirs, sunday schools and theatres bound the movements together and transmitted their political message - and their culture of solidarity and mutual aid - through society. When those movements were broken and betrayed by Stalinism, rightwing reformism and war, those sporting and cultural traditions have gradually faded away and been largely forgotten. Now is the time to remember them and learn from their experience. This is a UCL Workers' Liberty talk on the history of European socialist sport and culture by author Edd Mustill, and a report on the new socialist cultural movement springing up in Turkey from Ed Maltby.

In the early 20th Century, the socialist workers' movements of Europe and America were vast forces for human progress. Their battles for basic political freedoms, equality and the 8-hour day shook the world and inspire socialists to this day. But those movements were more than just trade unions and political parties. They created a unique, socialist culture of their own. Working-class sporting associations, "workers' olympiads", socialist cycling clubs and socialist choirs, sunday schools and theatres bound the movements together and transmitted their political message - and their culture of solidarity and mutual aid - through society. When those movements were broken and betrayed by Stalinism, rightwing reformism and war, those sporting and cultural traditions have gradually faded away and been largely forgotten. Now is the time to remember them and learn from their experience. This is a UCL Workers' Liberty talk on the history of European socialist sport and culture by author Edd Mustill, and a report on the new socialist cultural movement springing up in Turkey from Ed Maltby.