From the LSHG Newsletter Editor

From LSHG Newsletter, Autumn 2009

This academic year marks the 15th anniversary of the
London Socialist Historians Group, and the seminar series
at the Institute of Historical Research and a number of
events in Spring 2010 will mark the occasion.
The economic crisis has dominated much commentary in
the bourgeois media in the last year but historical input to
the debate, particularly from the left, has been somewhat
lacking. Niall Ferguson from the right has written pieces in
the Financial Times, and International Socialism and
Historical Materialism amongst others have held important
meetings of left and Marxist economists which have had
some historical perspective.
But discussion on how, for example, workers fought back,
or sometimes did not, in the 1930s recession has
been largely absent. Here I must admit that my piece on
the London busworkers actions of 1932/3 for the Morning
Star remains outstanding(!) Much discussion has been
focused on the history of factory occupations, from UCS to
Visteon and Vesta, and quite rightly. But that still hasn't
amounted to that much debate.
Needless to say , contributions to the newsletter around
these and related points would be very welcome indeed.
Keith Flett

Letters, articles, criticisms and contributions to
debate are most welcome. The deadline for the next
issue of the LSHG Newsletter is 1 December 2009.