Squatting in Britain 1945-1955: Housing, Politics, and Direct Action - Softcover

Watson, Don

Softcover

ISBN 10: 085036728X ISBN 13: 9780850367287

Publisher: Merlin Press, 2017

Synopsis

Britain in 1946 witnessed extraordinary episodes of direct action. Tens of thousands of families walked into empty army camps and took them over as places to live. A nationwide ‘squatters’ movement’ was born. It was an extensive popular movement, the first challenge to the 1945 Labour government to come from ‘below’. How should Labour’s record be assessed? The Attlee governments recorded some significant achievements in post-war social reconstruction: nationalization of key industries, comprehensive national insurance, full employment and a National Health Service. But did Labour miss its opportunity to reconfigure British society in a more progressive direction, when there was a public appetite for change? This is a book about agency. It demonstrates how those most affected by inadequate housing conditions and shortages responded.

About this title

About the Author

Don Watson is a retired research and development officer in local government in the North- East. He has B.A. and PhD degrees from Hull University and an M.A. from UCE in Birmingham. He has contributed to books and articles on labor history for over twenty years (including Labour History Review; Media, Culture and Society; Socialist History, North East History and Scottish Labour History). He is the author of No Justice Without a Struggle: and co-author of An Inspiring Example: The North East of England & the Spanish Civil War.

Review

"...The definitive account of these events and, very usefully, the aftermath. The judgements are carefully made and convincingly argued." (Emeritus Professor James Hinton, University of Warwick)

Edition details

• Publisher: Merlin Press
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 085036728X
• ISBN 13: 9780850367287
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 212