'From Militant to the Socialist Party' by Peter Taaffe, photo (Sarah Sachs-Eldridge)

‘From Militant to the Socialist Party’ by Peter Taaffe, photo (Sarah Sachs-Eldridge)   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Like many people who eagerly pre-ordered From Militant to the Socialist Party I have enjoyed reading its 600-odd pages.

The period covered by the book is really the period of my political awakening and for me, reading a Marxist analysis of the key events in this period really helped bring about a conscious understanding of things that I had maybe had a ‘gut feeling’ about or sometimes failed to see what the ‘big deal’ was about.

As the book concludes, it deals with the first campaign I got involved with against cuts in 2005-2006 to Huddersfield NHS services where we elected a Socialist Party member who led the campaign to the local council.

I think this just goes to show how an understanding of the past helps us understand and contribute to the struggles of today, just one more reason every serious campaigner should read this book.

Iain Dalton
  • From Militant to the Socialist Party – £15, available from socialistbooks.co.uk