This collection is derived from the personal papers of one of the titans of British communism, Harry Pollitt. Born in 1890, Pollitt embraced communism after witnessing the hardships inflicted on his family by poverty. He was a founding member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) in 1920, before going on to assume the crucial role of General Secretary in 1929.
His role as leader of the CPGB is remembered for his unwavering support of Stalin and the Soviet Union, as well as overseeing the CPGB’s most successful years in terms of influence and mass appeal around the time of the Second World War. As such, this collection offers a vivid insight into Pollitt’s personal and political thought, and the complex machinations of being premier of the CPGB.
This collection is accompanied by three contextual essays written by Professor Kevin Morgan.