British Radical Pamphlets

This collection of over 3,000 pamphlets, leaflets and periodicals captures the energy and activism of Britain’s political left from 1900 to 1970. Produced by socialist, labour and radical groups—including material on microfilm from 1961–88—it documents debates on civil rights, peace, workers’ rights and anti-imperialism, offering a powerful window into 20th-century protest and reform movements.

Europe Government and politics

Key items in the collection

Highlights from this collection demonstrate its historical significance and variety.

The collection acquired from Guernsey Books includes around 3,200 pamphlets, leaflets and issues of periodicals. Apart from a set of Fabian Tracts (1884–97), most items were published between 1900 and 1970. The majority are British imprints, including translations of European writers such as:

VI Lenin
Rosa Luxemburg
Karl Marx
VM Molotov
Joseph Stalin
Leon Trotsky
A.Y. Vyshinsky.

There are also a small number of European, American and Australian imprints.

The collection represents a wide range of political parties, pressure groups and interest groups. Many publications are from the Communist Party, Co-operative Party, Co-operative Union Ltd, Labour Party and Liberal Party. Other organisations represented include:

Anglican Pacifist Fellowship
Anglo–Russian Parliamentary Committee
British–Czechoslovak Friendship League
British–Yugoslav Association
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Fabian Society
Friends of Soviet Russia
League for Democracy in Greece
National Council for Civil Liberties
Political Freedom Movement
Russia Today Society
Socialist Medical Association
Socialist Party of Great Britain
Union of Democratic Control
University Labour Federation

Although most of the publications are left-wing, the collection also includes material from far-right organisations such as:

the National Front
National Pure Water Association
Racial Preservation Society
the Yorkshire Campaign to Stop Immigration.

One of the strengths of the collection is a substantial, though incomplete, set of Liberal Party leaflets from 1906 to 1930. There is also a long series of Liberal Party pamphlets.

Many pamphlets are anonymous and undated, as is common for this format. Notable and prolific contributors include:

HH Asquith
Aneurin Bevan
Emile Burns
GDH Cole
Maurice Dobb
R Palme Dutt
W Fox
William Gallacher
Victor Gollancz
Hewlett Johnston
Harold Laski
David Lloyd George
Herbert Morrison
Philip Noel-Baker
Harry Pollitt
DN Pritt
William Rust
Herbert Samuel
Gordon Schaffer
Bernard Shaw
Sir John Simon
Philip Snowden
Barbara Ward

The subject matter is wide-ranging. Topics include:

Arms trade
British foreign policy
Capitalism
Coal industry
Colonies
Communism
Co-operative movement
Great Depression
Economic planning
Education
Employment policy
Factory regulation
Food
Free trade and protection
House of Lords
Indian independence
Labour Party
Land reform
Liberalism
Marxism
Nazi Germany
Nuclear disarmament
Poverty
Prevention of war
Prices and profits
Public health
Russian Revolution
Socialism
Soviet Union
Spanish Civil War
Strikes
Taxation policy
Trade unionism
Transport
Treatment of Jewish people
Wages
Women’s suffrage
World War II and peace negotiations

The Left in Britain collection consists of 1,515 microfiche and 152 microfilm reels. The pamphlets, reports, leaflets, journals and other publications included in the collection were produced between 1961 and 1988 by around 50 British socialist, communist, anarchist and other left-wing parties and organisations.

Organisations represented in the collection include:

Anarchist Black Cross
Anarchist Communist Federation
Association of Communist Workers
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Centre for Socialist Education
Communist Party of Britain (Marxist–Leninist)
Independent Labour Party
International Communist League
International Marxist Group
International Socialists (later the Socialist Workers Party)
May Day Manifesto Group
Militant
Revolutionary Workers Party
Socialist Organiser
Socialist Society
Troops Out Movement
Workers Power Group

Most publications are anonymous, but some are written by prominent political and literary figures. These include:

Tariq Ali
Tony Benn
Paul Foot
Ted Grant
Ernest Mandel
Ralph Miliband
Peter Taaffe
E.P. Thompson
Raymond Williams

The Left in Britain microfilm includes journals such as International Socialism, Militant, Peace News, Red Flag, Socialist Leader and Socialist Worker.

About the British Radicals

In the second half of the 19th century, the Radicals were a strong political force in Britain. Closely connected to the Liberal Party and Nonconformist churches, they opposed military build-up, foreign wars and the expansion of the British Empire. Instead, they supported:

Free trade
Expanding the right to vote
Reducing the power of the House of Lords
Separating church and state by disestablishing the Church of England

Shifting priorities after 1870

After 1870, many Radicals moved away from a purely hands-off economic approach (laissez-faire). Leaders like Joseph Chamberlain began to call for:

Free public education
Stronger factory regulations
Slum clearances
Breaking up large landholdings

When most of the Whigs left the Liberal Party after 1885, these progressive ideas gained more influence.

Radical reforms under Liberal leadership

During the Liberal government of 1906–1915, Radicals, led by David Lloyd George, played a key role in:

Reducing the power of the House of Lords
Disestablishing the Church in Wales
Introducing old-age pensions and national insurance
Making progress towards Irish Home Rule

The rise of socialism and labour politics

At the same time, new socialist and labour groups emerged in Britain, including:

Social Democratic Federation (1881)
Fabian Society (1884)
Independent Labour Party (1893)
Labour Representation Committee (1900), renamed the Labour Party in 1906
Communist Party (1920)

The Liberal Party became deeply divided during and after World War I. By 1922, it had been overtaken by the Labour Party as the main opposition force.

A broader meaning of radicalism

After this shift, radicalism was no longer tied to a single party. Instead, it became a broader outlook shared by individuals across the political spectrum. These included:

Communists and socialists
Trade unionists and civil libertarians
Feminists and peace activists
Supporters of Indian independence
Critics of the British Establishment

Background to the collection

The Library’s principal collection of 20th-century British radical pamphlets was purchased in 1972 from Guernsey Books of St Peter Port, Guernsey.

In 1974, the Library acquired a complementary collection from Harvester Press of Hassocks, Sussex. This collection, titled The Left in Britain, comprises microfilms and microfiche of pamphlets, periodicals and other publications produced by radical organisations.

Biennial or annual supplements were added from 1975 to 1988.

There are 16 volumes, mostly containing Liberal Party leaflets and pamphlets. The remainder of the publications is housed in 60 boxes. The materials have been catalogued as a collection but not individually. A catalogue produced by Guernsey Books — copies of which are shelved with the collection — lists all items by author, or by title for anonymous works. The pamphlets and other publications can also be found in the Library’s catalogue.

The Left in Britain microfilm and microfiche are held in the Newspaper and Microcopy Collection. The microfiche is divided into two series. The first two fiche in each series contain a bibliographical guide with chronological, title and author indexes. Each biennial or annual supplement also begins with a bibliographical guide. The pamphlets and other publications are also available.

The microfilm of journals, microfiche of pamphlets, leaflets and other ephemera and the bibliographical guide to the 1983 supplement, held in paper form, have all been catalogued separately.

This guide was prepared using these references: