The History of Trade Unionism (Revised edition, extended to 1920)

This volume traces the rise of organized labor in Britain from its modest 19th‑century roots to the sweeping influence it held by 1920. The authors follow the movement’s early struggles, the expanding membership that grew from a fringe of artisans to a majority of manual workers, and the crucial legal reforms that turned uncertainty into statutory protection. Along the way, new archival material and recent scholarly research enrich the narrative, offering fresh details about pivotal campaigns, court cases, and the formation of a national political voice.

The revised edition also maps how trade unions began shaping public policy, moving from adversarial positions to becoming a recognized force in parliamentary debates. Readers gain insight into the internal structures that evolved into components of the state’s administrative machinery, and the broader social programmes that unions championed. While the work avoids prescriptive judgments, it supplies a clear, evidence‑based account that helps listeners understand how a once‑marginal group came to occupy a central place in British public life.