
Labour Country
Political Radicalism and Social Democracy in South Wales 1831-1985
Daryl Leeworthy(Author)
Parthian Books (Publisher)
Published on 6. September 2021
Book
Paperback/Softback
544 pages
978-1-913640-49-1 (ISBN)
Description
Since the end of WWI, one party has held the momentum of political
and social change in south Wales: the Labour Party. Its triumph was
never fully guaranteed. It came quickly amidst a torrent of ideas,
actions, and war. But the result was a vibrant, effective and long-
lasting democracy. The result was Labour Country.
In this bold, controversial book, Daryl Leeworthy takes a fresh and
provocative look at the struggle through radical political action for
social democracy in Wales. The reasons for Labour's triumph, he
argues, lay in radical pragmatism and an ability to harness lofty
ideals with meaningful practicality. This was a place of dreamers
as well as doers. The world of Arthur Horner and Aneurin Bevan.
And yet, as the author shows, this history is now over. Although
a trajectory leads from the end of the Miners' Strike both to
the advent of devolution and the circumstances that led to the
Brexit vote in 2016, these are exits from Labour Country, not a
continuation. Sustained by a powerful synthesis of scholarship and
original research, passionate and committed, this book brings the
cubist epic of south Wales and its politics to life.
and social change in south Wales: the Labour Party. Its triumph was
never fully guaranteed. It came quickly amidst a torrent of ideas,
actions, and war. But the result was a vibrant, effective and long-
lasting democracy. The result was Labour Country.
In this bold, controversial book, Daryl Leeworthy takes a fresh and
provocative look at the struggle through radical political action for
social democracy in Wales. The reasons for Labour's triumph, he
argues, lay in radical pragmatism and an ability to harness lofty
ideals with meaningful practicality. This was a place of dreamers
as well as doers. The world of Arthur Horner and Aneurin Bevan.
And yet, as the author shows, this history is now over. Although
a trajectory leads from the end of the Miners' Strike both to
the advent of devolution and the circumstances that led to the
Brexit vote in 2016, these are exits from Labour Country, not a
continuation. Sustained by a powerful synthesis of scholarship and
original research, passionate and committed, this book brings the
cubist epic of south Wales and its politics to life.
Reviews / Votes
"...the vast amount of evidence is brought together to build a narrative which brings the history of this period to life and emphasises the vitality of community politics in south Wales." Nye Davies, Wales Arts ReviewMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cardigan
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 139 mm
Width: 217 mm
Thickness: 58 mm
Weight
606 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-913640-49-1 (9781913640491)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Daryl Leeworthy is the Rhys Davies
Trust Research Fellow based at
Swansea University. He is the author,
most recently, of Elaine Morgan: A Life
Behind The Screen (2020) and A Little
Gay History of Wales (2019). His major
new biography of the Rhondda novelist,
playwright and broadcaster, Gwyn
Thomas, is forthcoming in the Modern
Wales series.
Trust Research Fellow based at
Swansea University. He is the author,
most recently, of Elaine Morgan: A Life
Behind The Screen (2020) and A Little
Gay History of Wales (2019). His major
new biography of the Rhondda novelist,
playwright and broadcaster, Gwyn
Thomas, is forthcoming in the Modern
Wales series.