Introduction – Lucy Bland and Richard Carr
1 Peace, but not at any price: British socialists’ calls for peace on the eve of World War One – Marcus Morris
2 At the crossroads: the Labour Party, the trade unions and the choices of direction for the democratic Left – Chris Wrigley
3 'One of the most revolutionary proposals that has ever been put before the House': the passage of the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 – Mari Takayanagi
4 Labour and socialism during the Great War in Bristol and Northampton – Matthew Kidd
5 A stronghold of liberalism? The north-east Lancashire cotton weaving districts and the First World War – Jack Southern
6 Living through war, waging peace: comparing Mary Macarthur and Sylvia Pankhurst – Deborah Thom
7 'Industrial unionism for women': Ellen Wilkinson and the unionisation of shop workers, 1915–18 – Matt Perry
8 The unsung heroines of radical wartime activism: gender, militarism and collective action in the British Women’s Corps – Krisztina Robert
9 Charlie Chaplin’s war: a British radical in tumultuous times – Richard Carr
10 Irish Labour and the ‘Cooperative Commonwealth’ in the era of the Great War – Marc Mulholland
11 Russia’s war and revolutions as seen by Morgan Philips Price and Arthur Henderson – Jonathan Davis
12 The Stanford connection: David Starr Jordan, eugenics and the Anglo-American anti-war movement – Gavin Baird and Bradley W. Hart
13 The problem of war aims and the Treaty of Versailles – John Callaghan
Index

'A welcome reminder that the First World War was experienced in myriad ways and with far reaching consequences. ... A thought-provoking and worthwhile read.'
Social History

'This collection certainly extends our knowledge of the changing landscape of British radicalism and socialism during the war and is an excellent addition to our growing knowledge of the First World War.'
Labour History Review


This volume offers thirteen essays considering the First World War’s impact on British life, from the parliamentary left to women and work. Based on new archival research, it offers bite-sized analyses of several issues that remain of critical importance to the development of modern Britain.

Featuring chapters on both the Labour Party and the wider trade union movement at local and national levels, the book considers debates over the righteousness of conflict, discussing figures such as Ramsay MacDonald, Philip Snowden, and Arthur Henderson.

Elsewhere, it looks at the evolving position of women through campaigners like Sylvia Pankhurst and Ellen Wilkinson, whilst also discussing the passage of legislation giving women the right to become Members of Parliament.

Finally, it situates the British experience of the war through several transnational studies taking in Ireland, Russia, and the United States. Those interested in the eugenics movement or the role of cinema will also find much of value.