Against the Cold War : the history and political traditions of pro-Sovietism in the British Labour Party 1945-89 / Darren G. Lilleker.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lilleker, Darren G.

Series:

International library of political studies ; 1.

International library of political studies ; 1

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Labour Party (Great Britain).

Communism--Great Britain.

Communism.

Socialists.

Great Britain.

Socialists--Great Britain--Attitudes.

Socialism--Great Britain.

Socialism.

Great Britain--Foreign relations--1945-1964.

International relations.

Soviet Union--Foreign relations--Great Britain.

Soviet Union.

Great Britain--Foreign relations--Soviet Union.

Physical Description:

vii, 294 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : I.B. Tauris, 2004.

Summary:

Few historians, including Left-wing scholars and writers, have a good word to say about British Members of Parliament sympathetic to the Soviets--"the neo-Stalinist Left," "crypto-Communists," "left-wing gadflys." Much has been published on "Soviet spies" and their connections with Labour MPs but "Against the Cold War" debunks this popular literature and shows in detail the relationships between the MPs and their "handlers." Lilleker shows the largely well-meaning attempts on the part of British MPs to develop a coexistence with the Soviet bloc--both culturally and politically--and to change negative perceptions of the Soviets. Through detailed analysis and extensive research he emphasizes that far from being a danger to the state, as has been generally accepted, these Labour MPs were largely innocent and ineffectual.

Contents:

1 Building a Pro-Soviet Fifth Column 19

2 From Emancipatory Revolution to Grand Alliance 42

3 Konni Zilliacus and Labour's Adversarial Voices from the Left 68

4 Victory for Socialism 109

5 Beneath Detente 137

6 Raising the Stakes 172

7 The perspectives of pro-Sovietism 209

Appendix Biographical Detail 233.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [272]-288) and index.

ISBN:

1850434719

OCLC:

56538670

Publisher Number:

9781850434719