United Socialist Movement
Encyclopedia
The United Socialist Movement was an anarcho-communist
political organisation based in Glasgow
. It published a journal, The Word.
The group's roots lay in the Anti-Parliamentary Communist Federation
. Guy Aldred
, a leading figure in the group, came to believe that Parliamentarianism was essentially dead, and so there was no longer a need for an anti-Parliamentary propaganda group. In February 1933, he left, with supporters including Ethel MacDonald
. In 1934, they linked up with some members of the Independent Labour Party
to form the United Socialist Movement.
Aldred used the support of the group to stand for Parliament on an abstentionist platform, and also to stand for Glasgow City Council. The group opposed World War II
, while trying to build a broad-based opposition.
The group was wound up in 1965, a couple of years after Aldred's death.
Anarchist communism
Anarchist communism is a theory of anarchism which advocates the abolition of the state, markets, money, private property, and capitalism in favor of common ownership of the means of production, direct democracy and a horizontal network of voluntary associations and workers' councils with...
political organisation based in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. It published a journal, The Word.
The group's roots lay in the Anti-Parliamentary Communist Federation
Anti-Parliamentary Communist Federation
The Anti-Parliamentary Communist Federation was a communist group in the Britain. It was founded by the group around Guy Aldred's Spur newspaper - mostly former Communist League members - in 1921...
. Guy Aldred
Guy Aldred
Guy Alfred Aldred - often Guy A. Aldred - was a British anarchist communist and a prominent member of the Anti-Parliamentary Communist Federation...
, a leading figure in the group, came to believe that Parliamentarianism was essentially dead, and so there was no longer a need for an anti-Parliamentary propaganda group. In February 1933, he left, with supporters including Ethel MacDonald
Ethel MacDonald
Ethel MacDonald was a Glasgow-based Scottish anarchist and activist and, in 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, a propagandist on Barcelona Loyalist radio.-Early years:...
. In 1934, they linked up with some members of the 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...
to form the United Socialist Movement.
Aldred used the support of the group to stand for Parliament on an abstentionist platform, and also to stand for Glasgow City Council. The group opposed World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, while trying to build a broad-based opposition.
The group was wound up in 1965, a couple of years after Aldred's death.