Herbert Morrison famously opined that British Socialism is, simply put, whatever a Labour Government is doing in the moment. This, of course, does not account for the numerous shifts modern "socialism" has undertaken since its mid 18th century origins. Socialism today is neither the same beast it was in 1880, nor is it the same as it was in 1940. Though they share a name; they share certain principles, and they may often quote from the same key figures, the Mise-en-scène within which these socialisms operate is, at best, comparable.

Recent events--the international banking crisis, shifting electoral allegiance, the rise and proliferation the "occupy" movements, etc.--have pivoted socialism into the fore of both political, cultural, and academic discourse. In America, one need go no further than drying ink to find the word used almost synonymously for any number of perceived threats--especially that of so-called 'big government'.

Works providing a thorough knowledge of the nature and history of of socialism's origin--ones that account for its oftentimes fragmented and discontinuous corpus--are both timely and necessary. Mark Bevir's book, The Making of British Socialism, is one such work. In it, Bevir traces the breadth of the British socialist tradition's origins, scrupulously avoiding the totalizing, linear narratives common to older models of historiography. Focusing on the years 1880-1900, "The Making of British Socialism," he writes in his introduction, "traces the ways in which people collectively made various socialist projects in a complex world of mass literacy and popular politics...[exploring] the tradition against the background of which people turned to socialism and the dilemmas that prompted them to do so." In this manner, Bevir presents three major strands of socialism in the era--Marxism, Fabianism, and ethical socialism--in a manner that brings the reader closer to knowledge of the lived experiences inflecting that era's theories. Presented in chronological order, this book is a startling act of synthesis and interpretation; it is certain to be of immeasurable value to numerous scholars across the humanities and social sciences.

Ben Jackson, Leslie Mitchell Fellow and Praelector in Modern British History at Oxford University, writes: "This important book offers a fresh perspective on the emergence of British socialist ideas in the late nineteenth century that is rich in historical insight and contemporary political relevance. Mark Bevir skillfully analyzes the complex ideological strands that were woven together to form the political thought of British socialism and he deftly corrects the numerous misunderstandings that have accumulated in the secondary literature. He takes the intellectual history of socialism in this period to a new level of sophistication." Keith Flett writes, "Bevir’s book should be seen as a valuable summary of leaders and ideas that have been too little discussed over the past few decades."

Bevir's previous books include The Logic of the History of Ideas (1999), New Labour: A Critique (2005), and Interpreting British Governance (2003). He is also the author of over 150 papers in scholarly journals and books. His research interests in political theory include ethics, political philosophy, and the history of political thought.

Visit the Biblio-file to view books that shaped Professor Bevir's thinking while working on The Making of British Socialism.