Communist Party of South Wales and the West of England
Encyclopedia
The Communist Party of South Wales and the West of England was a political party
in Britain
, formed in September 1920. The group was formed by a minority with the South Wales Socialist Society
, that did not support merging into the Communist Party of Great Britain
.
The group was sympathetic to the Communist Party (British Section of the Third International)
of Sylvia Pankhurst
, and adopted the programme of her previous group, the Workers Socialist Federation
.
The group held a conference in Cardiff
in November 1920, during which it declared that communist unity could be achieved only on the basis of "local autonomy
in a given local area".http://www.whatnextjournal.co.uk/Pages/Pamph/Maclean.html
A.J. Cook
was a leading member of the group.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, formed in September 1920. The group was formed by a minority with the South Wales Socialist Society
South Wales Socialist Society
The South Wales Socialist Society was a federation of communist groups in Wales, with many of its members being coal miners. It was formed as the Rhondda Socialist Society in 1911 by participants in the Miners Reform Movement, which opposed right-wing trade union leaders., It enthusiastically...
, that did not support merging into the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
.
The group was sympathetic to the Communist Party (British Section of the Third International)
Communist Party (British Section of the Third International)
The Communist Party was a Left Communist organisation established at an emergency conference held on 19–20 June 1920 at the International Socialist Club in London . It comprised about 600 people....
of Sylvia Pankhurst
Sylvia Pankhurst
Estelle Sylvia Pankhurst was an English campaigner for the suffragist movement in the United Kingdom. She was for a time a prominent left communist who then devoted herself to the cause of anti-fascism.-Early life:...
, and adopted the programme of her previous group, the Workers Socialist Federation
Workers Socialist Federation
The Workers' Socialist Federation was a socialist political party in the United Kingdom, led by Sylvia Pankhurst. Under many different names, it gradually broadened its politics from a focus on women's suffrage to eventually become a left communist grouping....
.
The group held a conference in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
in November 1920, during which it declared that communist unity could be achieved only on the basis of "local autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
in a given local area".http://www.whatnextjournal.co.uk/Pages/Pamph/Maclean.html
A.J. Cook
A. J. Cook (trade unionist)
Arthur James Cook , known as A. J. Cook, was a British coal miner and trade union leader. He is remembered as one of the United Kingdom's best known miners’ leaders and a key component of the National Minority Movement around the General Strike of 1926.-Early years:A.J...
was a leading member of the group.