What are the lessons for today from the 1926 general strike?

One of the myths about the British working class is that it’s too ponderous and conservative to have a serious fight with capitalism. Actually, centuries of bitter class struggle have shown the real potential again and again.

But arguably the high point came in 1926, during a period of national and international crisis for capitalism not so different from today. Despite the hesitancy and treachery of the official union leaders, Britain’s workers came out on strike in every sector, and without an end date. They even started running parts of society for themselves.

How did Britain’s only general strike so far come into being? What did it show us about revolutionary power of a general strike? Why did it end in defeat? And what can workers and socialists today learn for the huge class battles coming up today?

This episode of Socialism looks at Britain’s ‘almost’ revolution: the 1926 general strike.

Further reading and listening

• 1926 General Strike: Workers Taste Power (Peter Taaffe): http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=2017077
• The general strike today (2003): http://socialismtoday.org/archive/76/generalstrike.html
• Towards a 24 hour general strike (2012): http://socialismtoday.org/archive/161/britain.html
• Socialism 75. Britain's revolts after WW1: https://soundcloud.com/socialismpodcast/75-britains-revolts-after-ww1
• Where is Britain Going? (Trotsky): https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/britain/wibg/
• The Middle of the Road (Trotsky): https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/britain/v3/ch02f.htm
• 75 years since the 1926 general strike: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/8489/04-05-2001/1926-general-strike-a-showdown-between-the-classes
• 90 years since the 1926 general strike: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/22727/04-05-2016/1926-general-strike-when-workers-tasted-power
• 1926 general strike debate: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/5276/15-06-2006/1926-general-strike-debate