Our aim is to offer this both as a historical document of intrinsic interest and to remind readers that the intellectual work of presenting the possibility of a more democratic, equal and just society has a long tradition in our country.
Note on text
There are two versions of the May Day Manifesto. The first published in May 1967 was the result of a large group of contributors and edited by Stuart Hall, Edward Thompson and Raymond Williams. The second, a Penguin special was released with Raymond Williams as sole editor. Both versions are copyright the May Day Manifesto Committee of which Michael Rustin was secretary. The 1968 version has been preferred.
Revisiting the May Day Manifesto of 1967-68 – Michael Rustin
Original preface
1. May Day 2. Where the analysis starts 3. Social realities 4. Poverty today 5. The facts of inequality 6. Social poverty 7. Housing, health and education 8. The realities of work 9. Communications 10. Advertising 11. The meaning of modernisation 12. New capitalist requirements 13. The laws of the new market 14. The laws of the United States economy 15. The economic drive outwards 16. America and Europe 17. The technological gap 18. Effects on the ‘host’ nations 19. The new imperialism 20. The power of trade 21. The power of money 22. The international firm 23. The effects of aid 24. Changes in the Third World 25. Elites and armies 26. War and Cold War 27. The Cold War moves outwards 28. Political managers of the world 29. Backlash in Europe 30. The British crisis 31. The position of British industry 32. The response of British industry 33. Special characteristics of British capitalism 34. The role of the State 35. But what is the State? 36. Labour’s aims and capitalist planning 37. Labour and the crisis of the world economy 38. The Rake’s Progress 39. Devaluation and after 40. The power of capital and labour in Britain 41. There are alternative policies 42. Against managed politics 43. Voters, representatives and others 44. Two meanings of social democracy 45. The Labour Party 46. Other radical groupings 47. Other socialist groupings 48. The unions and politics 49. The bearings of change 50. The politics of the manifesto
