The Rise of Labour, 1899-1951

by Andrew Reekes

Published 18 October 1991
A source book for A-level students which examines the foundation of the party, its rivalry with the Liberals before 1914, the splits encouraged by the First World War and the party's electoral recovery in 1918. It looks at continuing internal division with the challenges to Macdonald's responsible socialism, at the muted success of the first two Labour governments and at the great crash of 1931. It records the rebuilding of the 1930s, the role of Labour in the wartime Cabinet, and concludes with the legacy of the Atlas years. As with the rest of the "Documents and Debates" series the book features selected documents and questions. It aims to make the topic interesting, to stimulate independent thought from the student.