The General Strike wasn’t revolutionary chaos—it was disciplined working-class resistance

The 1926 General Strike is often painted as Britain’s near-miss with revolution—but the reality is far more revealing, and far more powerful. In this episode of History Rage, Paul Bavill is joined by historian Geoff Andrews to dismantle the myths and uncover the true story of working-class politics, solidarity, and identity in modern Britain.

Far from a Bolshevik uprising, the General Strike was a highly organised, largely peaceful protest rooted in fairness, dignity, and community. Geoff explains how millions of workers mobilised not to overthrow the state, but to defend mining communities facing wage cuts and harsh conditions. The strike wasn’t the beginning of revolution—it arguably marked the end of it.

This conversation dives deep into the ethos of the British labour movement: a tradition shaped not just by ideology, but by education, self-improvement, and collective values. From the Workers’ Educational Association to the rise of autodidact culture, the working classes were not passive victims—they were active architects of modern Britain.

We also explore:

• Why the myth of a “revolutionary working class” distorts history
• The real role of figures like Churchill in escalating tensions
• How the Labour Party evolved from Lib-Lab roots into a political force
• The enduring impact of adult education on political culture
• Why figures like Ramsay MacDonald remain so controversial
• What today’s political landscape has lost from its working-class roots

Geoff Andrews challenges the idea that the left was ever truly revolutionary in Britain—and instead reveals a more complex, ethical, and democratic tradition that has been largely forgotten.

About the Guest

Geoff Andrews is a Senior Lecturer in Politics at The Open University and a leading historian of the British labour movement. His work focuses on the Labour Party, radical traditions, and working-class political culture.

📖 Book: Radicals: The Working Classes and the Making of Modern Britain

👉 Buy via the History Rage Bookshop:

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780300265897

🎤 Catch Geoff live at the Gloucester History Festival

https://gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk

Listen More from History Rage

• Episode 189: Maureen Wright on Victorian feminists
• Episode 181: Shalina Patel on the Pankhursts and women’s suffrage

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