Bevanism
Encyclopedia
Bevanism was the ideological argument for the Bevanites, a movement on the Left wing of the Labour Party
in the late 1950s and led by Nye Bevan
. They were opposed by the Gaitskellites
, who are variously described as Centre-left
, Social Democrats
, or 'moderates' within the Party.
Bevanism was influenced by Marxism
and traditional labourism. Despite declaring inspiration from Marx, Bevan did not visibly support insurrectionist concepts of proletarian revolution
, or the Leninist organisational model of democratic centralism
typical of many Communist
parties.
He and his supporters instead preferred a strident but pluralist conception of Democratic socialism
, tempered by pragmatic sensibilities and practical application.
The Bevanite Group of MPs came into being following Bevan's resignation from the Cabinet in 1951 over charges in the health service and their relationship with the funding of Britain's involvement in the Korean War
. Bevanites Harold Wilson
and John Freeman resigned with Bevan himself. The group in Parliament drew heavily from the previous 'Keep Left'
group, which had previously dissented from the pro-American foreign policy of the 1945-1951 Labour government favoured by Clement Attlee
, his Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin
and Hugh Gaitskell
.
Bevanites organised in Constituency Labour Parties across Britain, and set up local discussion groups known as 'Brains Trusts', also a legacy of the 'Keep Left' group.
Brains Trusts would organise in support of the then newspaper favoured by Bevanites, Tribune
, allocating left wing MPs and campaigners to form speaking panels around the country. Tribune itself provided an important print voice for Bevanite politicians and was in wide circulation.
The main Bevanite objectives were:
In the early 1950s Bevanites advocated:
By the end of his political career, Bevan split with Bevanites, such as his later biographer Michael Foot
, over Britain's nuclear weapons, advocating the maintenance of Britain's nuclear deterrent against those who became associated with the CND
.
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
in the late 1950s and led by Nye Bevan
Aneurin Bevan
Aneurin "Nye" Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1959 until his death in 1960. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people...
. They were opposed by the Gaitskellites
Gaitskellism
Gaitskellism was the ideology of a faction of the British Labour Party. Led by Hugh Gaitskell, Gaitskellites represented the political right of the Labour Party and were opposed by the Bevanites, a more Leftist faction of the party led by Aneurin Bevan...
, who are variously described as Centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
, Social Democrats
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
, or 'moderates' within the Party.
Bevanism was influenced by Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
and traditional labourism. Despite declaring inspiration from Marx, Bevan did not visibly support insurrectionist concepts of proletarian revolution
Proletarian revolution
A proletarian revolution is a social and/or political revolution in which the working class attempts to overthrow the bourgeoisie. Proletarian revolutions are generally advocated by socialists, communists, and most anarchists....
, or the Leninist organisational model of democratic centralism
Democratic centralism
Democratic centralism is the name given to the principles of internal organization used by Leninist political parties, and the term is sometimes used as a synonym for any Leninist policy inside a political party...
typical of many Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
parties.
He and his supporters instead preferred a strident but pluralist conception of Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
, tempered by pragmatic sensibilities and practical application.
The Bevanite Group of MPs came into being following Bevan's resignation from the Cabinet in 1951 over charges in the health service and their relationship with the funding of Britain's involvement in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Bevanites Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
and John Freeman resigned with Bevan himself. The group in Parliament drew heavily from the previous 'Keep Left'
Keep Left (pamphlet)
Keep Left was a pamphlet published in the United Kingdom in 1947 by the New Statesman, written by Michael Foot, Richard Crossman and Ian Mikardo that advocated a democratic socialist "third force" foreign policy – a socialist Europe acting independently from either the United States or the Soviet...
group, which had previously dissented from the pro-American foreign policy of the 1945-1951 Labour government favoured by Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
, his Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin was a British trade union leader and Labour politician. He served as general secretary of the powerful Transport and General Workers' Union from 1922 to 1945, as Minister of Labour in the war-time coalition government, and as Foreign Secretary in the post-war Labour Government.-Early...
and Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell CBE was a British Labour politician, who held Cabinet office in Clement Attlee's governments, and was the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1955, until his death in 1963.-Early life:He was born in Kensington, London, the third and youngest...
.
Bevanites organised in Constituency Labour Parties across Britain, and set up local discussion groups known as 'Brains Trusts', also a legacy of the 'Keep Left' group.
Brains Trusts would organise in support of the then newspaper favoured by Bevanites, Tribune
Tribune (magazine)
Tribune is a democratic socialist weekly, founded in 1937 published in London. It is independent but supports the Labour Party from the left...
, allocating left wing MPs and campaigners to form speaking panels around the country. Tribune itself provided an important print voice for Bevanite politicians and was in wide circulation.
The main Bevanite objectives were:
- State control of the "commanding heights" of the economy (as opposed to a wholesale policy of nationalisation). Many nationalisations had made up the bedrock of Labour's previous manifestos, such as 'Let us face the future'. Bevanites' views towards nationalisation mirrored those of Lenin, in that state control was only seen as necessary in the context of exchange or distribution, as opposed to the total and immediate appropriation of as much private property as possible.
- A comprehensive and completely free 'cradle to grave' system of welfare, health provision and education.
- Housing for all.
- Full employmentFull employmentIn macroeconomics, full employment is a condition of the national economy, where all or nearly all persons willing and able to work at the prevailing wages and working conditions are able to do so....
.
In the early 1950s Bevanites advocated:
- The nationalisation of the steel industry, contrary to the views of many colleagues.
- Social liberalism.
- Contempt for dogmaDogmaDogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, or a particular group or organization. It is authoritative and not to be disputed, doubted, or diverged from, by the practitioners or believers...
as a modus operandi; an open-minded approach to democratic socialismDemocratic socialismDemocratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
. - Respect for the arts.
- General unwillingness to yield upon the perceived gains made since 1945, for example, opposition to means testing for social security benefits, and opposition to prescription charges as military spending increased.
- A complementary ability to drop unpopular policies.
- Freedom of debate, opinion and criticism within the Labour Party.
- Scepticism towards most American foreign policy.
- Anti-fascism, anti-apartheid sentiment, and support for decolonisationDecolonizationDecolonization refers to the undoing of colonialism, the unequal relation of polities whereby one people or nation establishes and maintains dependent Territory over another...
internationally.
By the end of his political career, Bevan split with Bevanites, such as his later biographer Michael Foot
Michael Foot
Michael Mackintosh Foot, FRSL, PC was a British Labour Party politician, journalist and author, who was a Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1955 and from 1960 until 1992...
, over Britain's nuclear weapons, advocating the maintenance of Britain's nuclear deterrent against those who became associated with the CND
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
.
See also
- Jennie Lee
- Harold WilsonHarold WilsonJames Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
- Michael FootMichael FootMichael Mackintosh Foot, FRSL, PC was a British Labour Party politician, journalist and author, who was a Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1955 and from 1960 until 1992...
- Barbara CastleBarbara CastleBarbara Anne Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn , PC, GCOT was a British Labour Party politician....
- Richard CrossmanRichard CrossmanRichard Howard Stafford Crossman OBE was a British author and Labour Party politician who was a Cabinet Minister under Harold Wilson, and was the editor of the New Statesman. A prominent socialist intellectual, he became one of the Labour Party's leading Zionists and anti-communists...
- Ian MikardoIan MikardoIan Mikardo , commonly known as Mik, was a British Labour and Co-operative politician. An ardent socialist and a Zionist, he remained a backbencher throughout his four decades in the House of Commons...
- Tom Driberg
- George Thomas
- TribuneTribune (magazine)Tribune is a democratic socialist weekly, founded in 1937 published in London. It is independent but supports the Labour Party from the left...
- GaitskellismGaitskellismGaitskellism was the ideology of a faction of the British Labour Party. Led by Hugh Gaitskell, Gaitskellites represented the political right of the Labour Party and were opposed by the Bevanites, a more Leftist faction of the party led by Aneurin Bevan...
- Tony BennTony BennAnthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...