[Book] Ted Grant Writings: Volume Two

Continuing the theme of Trotskyism and the Second World War, this volume covers the period 1943-45. The articles and documents contained within this book covers the period of the emergence of the WIL and the setting up of the Revolutionary Communist Party. Many documents are appearing in print for the first time since they were written.

The book is divided into three sections. The first deals with the situation in Europe as the war moved towards its conclusion and  the Fascist regimes in Italy and Germany collapsed into chaos. The second section deals with events at home and the tasks facing the labour and trade union movement. The final section contains key documents and letters relating to the build up to the formation of the RCP. As in Volume one, Ted's writings are supplemented by other documents to provide a full picture of the situation.

Key documents included in this volume include Rise and fall of the Communist International, Changed relationship of forces in Europe, Our tasks in the coming revolution  and the minutes of the founding conference of the RCP.

481 pages long and now fully available online, this book provides an invaluable resource of Marxist theory and methods.  

Table of Contents

• Introduction (by Rob Sewell)

War and revolution

• Aid Red Army with Lenin’s weapon (April 1943)
• The need for the International (June 1943)
• The rise and fall of the Communist International (June 1943)
• Second front will not end fascism (July 1943)
• Fascism collapsing – Europe’s revolution has begun (August 1943)
• The Italian revolution and the tasks of British workers (August 1943)
• How Mussolini came to power (August 1943)
• Aid the Italian revolution! (August 1943)
• Anglo-US strategy - Weaken Russia! (September 1943)
• Rift widens in Allied camp (September 1943)
• Churchill’s speech marks a new stage in the war (September 1943)
• Italian workers had control (October 1943)
• Fascist butchers now in allied camp (October 1943)
• The Moscow conference plans post-war reaction (November 1943)
• Lebanon clash bares de Gaulle-Churchill aims (November 1943)
• Allied talks plot world carve-up (December 1943)
• Stalin scraps “Internationale” (January 1944)
• Stalin recognises Badoglio (April 1944)
• Second front and the tasks of the working class (June 1944)
• Churchill preparing peace of revenge (July 1944)
• Germany – What next? Behind the generals’ revolt (August 1944)
• Leon Trotsky (August 1944)
• Capitalists fear armed Paris workers (September 1944)
• The Allies fear fraternisation (October 1944)
• National question - Rough draft (October 1944)
• The coming German revolution (October 1944)
• Why Hitler came to power
• Indian troops join ELAS (January 1945)
• British Labour betrayed Greek workers (February 1945)
• Crimea decisions kept from masses (March 1945)
• The changed relationship of forces in Europe and the role of the Fourth International (September 1945)

The home front

• Open letter on repression in Northern Ireland (January 1943)
• Coalition cracking - Labour to power (March 1943)
• The Beveridge Report (March 1943)
• ILP conference and tasks of the left (April 1943)
• The ILP in transition (May 1943)
• Labour Party endorses truce (June 1943)
• Labour leaders back Vansittartism (July 1943)
• Appeal is in danger (November 1943)
• Internationalism and centrism (February 1944)
• Churchill’s support crumbling (March 1944)
• ILP conference (April 1944)
• Bevin defends his anti-labour laws (May 1944)
• Labour leaders fear conference (May 1944)
• The attack on our party (May 1944)
• Statement to members from the Political Bureau (June 1944)
• Tories riding high (July 1944)
• TUC helps Goebbels (November 1944)
• Communist Party conference prepares post-war sell-out (November 1944)
• Redundancy (RCP Internal Bulletin - December 1944)
• Statement of the Political Bureau on redundancy (RCP Internal Bullettin, December 1944)
• Labour Party conference Labour lefts sell out (December 1944)
• Tory post-war plans (April 1945)
• The ILP at the crossroads (April 1945)
• CP Leaders want post-war coalition with the Tories (April 1945)

British Trotskyism and the Fourth International

• Correspondence May - November 1942
• A criticism by the RSL of the WIL pamphlet Preparing for power (December 1942)
• Correspondence December 1942 - January 1943
• Statement of the PB on the expulsion from WIL of G. Healy (February 1943)
• Correspondence February - June 1943
• Reply of WIL to the RSL criticism of Preparing for power (June 1943)
• Correspondence June - September 1943
• Reply to comrades Cooper and Stuart (September 1943)
• Our tasks in the coming revolution (January 1944)
• The world revolution and the tasks of the British working class (October 1943)
• WIL conference resolution on international affiliation (July 1943)
• Fusion conference of WIL and RSL (March 1944)
• Open letter to SWP members (January 1945)