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One hundred years ago, on 31 January, 1919, Glasgow’s George Square witnessed one of the most astonishing outbreaks of civic violence in modern history. Tens of thousands of striking workers, many accompanied by their families, were baton-charged by police. A battle erupted, heads were broken and for one of the last times, civic officials read the Riot Act <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot_Act>. A panic-stricken cabinet in London sent in troops and tanks, and for a moment revolution looked set to sweep western Scotland. “The Russian revolution had been an unambiguous demonstration that the forces of reaction could be defeated and the political establishment was very afraid that could happen here,” says the Scottish historian Tom Devine. “They thought a Bolshevik uprising was about to begin in Glasgow <https://www.theguardian.com/uk/glasgow>.” Slowly the city returned to normal, and after a couple of weeks the troops departed. Amazingly, there had been no fatalities. The strike leaders were put on trial for inciting riot but were acquitted – except for Gallacher and Shinwell, who got three and five months in jail. Gallacher came to rue the opportunity he believed was lost that day. “Had there been an experienced revolutionary leadership, instead of a march to Glasgow Green there would have been a march to the city’s Maryhill Barracks. There we could easily have persuaded the soldiers to come out, and Glasgow would have been in our hands.” In the end, the workers lost the strike for a shorter working week although better working hours were slowly introduced by employers. More importantly, at the next general election, in 1922, Red Clydesiders – in the personification of the Independent Labour Party – won 10 out of 15 Glasgow constituencies. The revolution may not have materialised but Clydeside became a powerful socialist base. “The experience of being harshly treated helps explain the election success of Red Clydesiders,” says Devine. “Shinwell, Kirkwood and others became MPs <https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/feb/28/labour-mp-manny-shinwell-slap-in-the-face-for-conservative-political-opponent>. Thousands came to see them off to Westminster when they left Glasgow by train, and while I am not suggesting a direct link between the Battle of George Square and this later surge in Labour support, the event certainly had a politicising effect. The George Square factor was not irrelevant and Scotland has been the anchor of the Labour party ever since.” https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jan/06/100-years-on-the-day-they-read-the-riot-act-in-glasgow _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
