This is a fascinating account of the development of the political thinking of Tom Mann. Phil Katz, in an important introductory chapter ‘Reading “Yours for the Revolution,”’ examines the difficulties in writing history and states that this work on Mann ‘focuses on political thought as a contribution to be read alongside the work of others.’ However, other works have not been up to the depth of scholarship exhibited by Phil Katz.
The author has found some excellent material on Tom’s work in New Zealand and Australia, his visits to South Africa and the United States and his extensive interest in China. Much of this material was unknown to me and Phil Katz deserves great credit for highlighting Tom Mann’s lived internationalism. After participating in tributes to many of those killed in critical events in China, including the Shakee / Shaji massacre of 1925 when British and other imperialist troops killed over 50 people in a large rally, Tom Mann wrote ‘at every stage of the real advance actual struggles take place, and lives are lost. Only confused idealists can, in the light of history, persuade themselves that human progress can yet be made by steady, placid, peaceful progression.’ A reminder of this came when after Tom and the delegates to the RILU (Red International of Labour Unions) had left China ‘the entire printing staff of the RILU journal Pan Pacific Worker was taken from its Shanghai print shop and summarily executed, seventeen in all.’
Tom Mann’s internationalism alone would make him one of the great working-class figures, but there is yet more; his thoughtfulness, his intellect and his absolute commitment to the working class throughout his life, whatever role he played. Philip Snowden criticised him for his inability to stay in any political party for a length of time, but Tom had more consistency and depth of commitment than Snowden or the Labour Party
ever showed.
He also called for trade unionists in Britain to ‘understand the link to Empire and to support those seeking to break it’ and included Ireland in that overall analysis.
One of the least well-known phases of his life was after joining the Communist Party in July 1920. My previous impression of this phase of his life was of Mann in a period of semi-retirement but Mann was active in the Party and even went travelling to Sweden in his eighties. This is really worth reading.
David Hargreaves