For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction: Two responses on the British left to the rise of identity politics - the cases of Class War and Red Action

Twentieth Century Communism - ISSN 1758-6437
Volume 2015 Number 9

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction: Two responses on the British left to the rise of identity politics - the cases of Class War and Red Action
Paul Stott pages -

Abstract

During the 1980s a profound shift occurred within the British left. The anti-racist and multicultural approach of Ken Livingstone’s Greater London Council (GLC), and that of a series of local authorities, was accompanied by an emerging women’s movement and the positioning of questions of gender, race and sexuality at the centre of left wing politics.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This article contends that some very specific responses occurred to these changes, and focuses on two revolutionary organisations which emerged – Class War from the anarchist tradition and Red Action in the marxist tradition. Both rejected any diminishing of the centrality of class – and these groups identity frequently pivoted on this rejection, even though within Class War in particular there was at times contestation concerning the perceived diminishing of broader areas of repression.

SORRY - you are not registered as being permitted online access to the full text of this article

You have the following options:

1. If you are viewing this via an institution or academic library you can ask that your institution takes out a Subscription to this journal.
2. If you already have a Personal Subscription please login below
   
   
   Log In
   
   Forgotten your username / password? Click here to locate
   
   
3. Purchase an annual Personal Subscription
   PRINT + DIGITAL personal subscription (£30 / year)
   DIGITAL personal subscription (£25 / year)
   A Personal Subscription provides immediate access not only to the single article you are seeking, but also to all past and future articles in this journal up to the expiry of your annual (calendar year) subscription.
4. Purchase immediate access to this single article (UK£7.00) - Buy article Coming Soon

To cite this article
Paul Stott (2015) For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction: Two responses on the British left to the rise of identity politics - the cases of Class War and Red Action, Twentieth Century Communism, 2015(9), -