Jimmy Deane
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Deane was a British Trotskyist who played a significant role in building the Revolutionary Socialist League
. Along with Jock Haston
and Ted Grant
, he played a role during the second world war in the Revolutionary Communist Party
, the British section of the Fourth International
.
Joining the Labour Party in 1937, he was later that year won over to Trotskyism and joined the Militant Group
. Through him his mother Gertie was recruited, and then his brothers Arthur and Brian, who also played an important role in the Trotskyist movement.
In 1939, with growing fragmentation within the Militant Group, Gerry Healy
a member of an earlier breakaway from that group, the Workers International League (WIL) formed in 1937, was able to recruit the Deanes, along with Eric Brewer, Tommy Birchall and Harry Matthews to the new group.
before he was invalided out of work at the end of the year.
For most of 1945, Jimmy Deane became a full-time worker for the newly formed Revolutionary Communist Party as its London Industrial Organiser and joined the party's central committee and editorial board of the Socialist Appeal
, the party's journal.
In 1946 Deane was the British delegate to the International Conference of the Fourth International
alongside Jock Haston
. He stayed in Paris for a further 18 months as the British representative on the Internation Executive Committee.
in 1956 and was appointed as its first General Secretary.
He was to go on several international missions of behalf of the international during this period including going to Morocco to help the Algerian FLN breakthrough the electrified Algerian/Moroccan border as well as attempting to unite Indian Trotskyists in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras into a single all-India organisation.
After attempting to bring about an unsuccessful fusion between the RSL and the International Group
as well as joint work with the International Socialists
in a magazine Young Guard, Jimmy Deane suggested Peter Taaffe
as his successor as General Secretary and editor of the soon to be launched Militant
. He left Britain for India
in 1965 and subsequently spent a few years in Fiji
.
Although he returned to Britain he did not resume his active role in the Trotskyist movement: he remained loyal to his political beliefs, speaking at a meeting in Wigan against the witch-hunt of Militant supporters in the Labour Party At the end of his life he declared his support for the Socialist Appeal
tendency in the UK in a letter and emphasised that "A Marxist tendency must combat any traces of ultra-leftism that arise out of impatience". Jimmy Deane died of pneumonia
in August 2002.
Revolutionary Socialist League (UK, 1957)
The Revolutionary Socialist League was a Trotskyist group in Britain which existed from 1956 to 1964.-Formation:After the dissolution of the Revolutionary Communist Party, Ted Grant and his supporters were expelled from the RCP's successor The Club in 1950 and formed the International Socialist...
. Along with Jock Haston
Jock Haston
James "Jock" Ritchie Haston was a Trotskyist politician and General Secretary of the Revolutionary Communist Party in Great Britain.-Early years:...
and Ted Grant
Ted Grant
Edward "Ted" Grant , 9 July 1913 in Germiston, South Africa – 20 July 2006 in London) was a South African Trotskyist who spent most of his adult life in Britain...
, he played a role during the second world war in the Revolutionary Communist Party
Revolutionary Communist Party (UK, 1944)
The Revolutionary Communist Party was a British Trotskyist group, formed in 1944 and active until 1949, which published the newspaper Socialist Appeal, a theoretical journal Workers International News and an entrist paper for its Labour Party work The Militant .- Collapse of the RSL and founding of...
, the British section of the Fourth International
Fourth International
The Fourth International is the communist international organisation consisting of followers of Leon Trotsky , with the declared dedicated goal of helping the working class bring about socialism...
.
Early years
Jimmy Deane was born on 31 January 1921 to a blacksmith, Gus Deane, and his wife, Gertie a trained nurse.Joining the Labour Party in 1937, he was later that year won over to Trotskyism and joined the Militant Group
Militant Group
The Militant Group was an early British Trotskyist group, formed in 1935 by Denzil Dean Harber, former leader of the Marxist Group, as an entrist group inside the Labour Party....
. Through him his mother Gertie was recruited, and then his brothers Arthur and Brian, who also played an important role in the Trotskyist movement.
In 1939, with growing fragmentation within the Militant Group, Gerry Healy
Gerry Healy
Thomas Gerard Healy, known as Gerry Healy , was a political activist, a co-founder of the International Committee of the Fourth International, and, according to former prominent U.S. supporter David North, the leader of the Trotskyist movement in Great Britain between 1950 – 1985...
a member of an earlier breakaway from that group, the Workers International League (WIL) formed in 1937, was able to recruit the Deanes, along with Eric Brewer, Tommy Birchall and Harry Matthews to the new group.
During the Second World War
Due to serving an apprenticeship at Camel Lairds as an electrical engineer, he was not called up during the second world war, and became a shop steward. In January 1944 he was trained as a miner, due to wartime legislation, and worked at Nook Pit, TyldesleyTyldesley
Tyldesley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies an area north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, east-southeast of Wigan and west-northwest of the city of Manchester...
before he was invalided out of work at the end of the year.
For most of 1945, Jimmy Deane became a full-time worker for the newly formed Revolutionary Communist Party as its London Industrial Organiser and joined the party's central committee and editorial board of the Socialist Appeal
Socialist Appeal
Socialist Appeal is the publication of a British Trotskyist organisation operating within the Labour Party which was founded by Ted Grant and Alan Woods after they were expelled from the Militant tendency. The organisation is popularly known as the Socialist Appeal group, and publishes a monthly...
, the party's journal.
In 1946 Deane was the British delegate to the International Conference of the Fourth International
Fourth International
The Fourth International is the communist international organisation consisting of followers of Leon Trotsky , with the declared dedicated goal of helping the working class bring about socialism...
alongside Jock Haston
Jock Haston
James "Jock" Ritchie Haston was a Trotskyist politician and General Secretary of the Revolutionary Communist Party in Great Britain.-Early years:...
. He stayed in Paris for a further 18 months as the British representative on the Internation Executive Committee.
Revolutionary Socialist League
He was one of the founders of the Revolutionary Socialist LeagueRevolutionary Socialist League (UK, 1957)
The Revolutionary Socialist League was a Trotskyist group in Britain which existed from 1956 to 1964.-Formation:After the dissolution of the Revolutionary Communist Party, Ted Grant and his supporters were expelled from the RCP's successor The Club in 1950 and formed the International Socialist...
in 1956 and was appointed as its first General Secretary.
He was to go on several international missions of behalf of the international during this period including going to Morocco to help the Algerian FLN breakthrough the electrified Algerian/Moroccan border as well as attempting to unite Indian Trotskyists in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras into a single all-India organisation.
After attempting to bring about an unsuccessful fusion between the RSL and the International Group
International Group
The International Group was the name taken by two groups of British supporters of the Fourth International.In both cases, the Group was formed as a public faction by members loyal to the International who felt that the then-current leadership of the British section of the Fourth International had...
as well as joint work with the International Socialists
International Socialists
International Socialists is the name of a number of Trotskyist organizations.Most organisations using this name are in the International Socialist Tendency...
in a magazine Young Guard, Jimmy Deane suggested Peter Taaffe
Peter Taaffe
Peter Taaffe is the general secretary of the Socialist Party of England and Wales SPEW and member of the International Executive Committee of the Committee for a Workers International , which claims sections in over 35 countries around the world.Taaffe was founding editor of the Marxist Militant...
as his successor as General Secretary and editor of the soon to be launched Militant
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
. He left Britain for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1965 and subsequently spent a few years in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
.
Although he returned to Britain he did not resume his active role in the Trotskyist movement: he remained loyal to his political beliefs, speaking at a meeting in Wigan against the witch-hunt of Militant supporters in the Labour Party At the end of his life he declared his support for the Socialist Appeal
Socialist Appeal
Socialist Appeal is the publication of a British Trotskyist organisation operating within the Labour Party which was founded by Ted Grant and Alan Woods after they were expelled from the Militant tendency. The organisation is popularly known as the Socialist Appeal group, and publishes a monthly...
tendency in the UK in a letter and emphasised that "A Marxist tendency must combat any traces of ultra-leftism that arise out of impatience". Jimmy Deane died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in August 2002.
External links
- Obituary by Keith Dickinson Obituary for Jimmy Deane - pioneer UK Trotskyist
- A short interview with Jimmy Deane
- Obituary by Rob Sewell Jimmy Deane: Proletarian revolutionary, heart and soul
- Obituary by John McIlroy Jimmy Deane (1921-2002)
- Description of the papers of Jimmy Deane Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick Library