Revolutionary Policy Committee
Encyclopedia
The Revolutionary Policy Committee (RPC) was a faction within the former political party
Independent Labour Party
of the United Kingdom
.
The RPC was formed in 1931 by members of the Independent Labour Party (ILP) who were especially unhappy with the gradualist policies of the Second Labour Government (1929-31). The RPC was founded by Jack Gaster, a lawyer and son of Moses Gaster
, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of England, and Dr C.K. Cullen, a medical inspector from Poplar.
The RPC was particularly active in London
and its initial focus was on advocating the disaffiliation of the ILP from the Labour Party. After they successfully achieved this aim in 1932, the RPC sought to bring closer cooperation between the ILP and the Communist Party of Great Britain
and advocating affiliation to the Comintern
. In 1933, the RPC successfully persuaded the ILP to adopt the policy of merging with the Communist Party, although this was never followed through. Within the ILP, the RPC became increasingly seen as Communist entryists, and aroused strong feelings which led in 1934 to a split in the party as some of their opponents, led by John Middleton Murry
and Elijah Sandham, left to form the Independent Socialist Party
. By 1935 the RPC's influence was waning and after internal divisions about the appropriate response to the Abyssinian Crisis of 1935, the leading members of the Committee decided to wind up the RPC, leave the ILP and join the Communist Party.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The RPC was formed in 1931 by members of the Independent Labour Party (ILP) who were especially unhappy with the gradualist policies of the Second Labour Government (1929-31). The RPC was founded by Jack Gaster, a lawyer and son of Moses Gaster
Moses Gaster
Moses Gaster was a Romanian-born Jewish-British scholar, the Hakham of the Spanish and Portuguese congregation, London, and a Hebrew linguist. He was also the son-in-law of Michael Friedländer, principal of Jews' College. The surname Gaster is taken from Spanish Castro, indicating his Sephardic...
, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of England, and Dr C.K. Cullen, a medical inspector from Poplar.
The RPC was particularly active in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and its initial focus was on advocating the disaffiliation of the ILP from the Labour Party. After they successfully achieved this aim in 1932, the RPC sought to bring closer cooperation between the ILP and the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
and advocating affiliation to the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
. In 1933, the RPC successfully persuaded the ILP to adopt the policy of merging with the Communist Party, although this was never followed through. Within the ILP, the RPC became increasingly seen as Communist entryists, and aroused strong feelings which led in 1934 to a split in the party as some of their opponents, led by John Middleton Murry
John Middleton Murry
John Middleton Murry was an English writer. He was prolific, producing more than 60 books and thousands of essays and reviews on literature, social issues, politics, and religion during his lifetime...
and Elijah Sandham, left to form the Independent Socialist Party
Independent Socialist Party (UK)
The Independent Socialist Party was a political party in the UK. It was formed in 1934 as a breakway from the Independent Labour Party in protest at the increasing power of the Revolutionary Policy Committee within the ILP....
. By 1935 the RPC's influence was waning and after internal divisions about the appropriate response to the Abyssinian Crisis of 1935, the leading members of the Committee decided to wind up the RPC, leave the ILP and join the Communist Party.