A World to Win

1917

March: ‘February Revolution’ in Russia. Tsarism overthrown.
20 May: Cliff (Ygael Gluckstein) born.
7 November: Bolsheviks take power in Russia.

1922

11 September: British mandate proclaimed in Palestine.

1931

Cliff joins Mapai youth.

1933

30 January: Hitler comes to power in Germany.
Cliff joins MPZVCMEI.
Cliff becomes a Trotskyist.

1934

12 February onwards: Workers’ uprising against fascism in Vienna.

1936-39

Cliff student at Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

1938

3 September: Foundation of Fourth International.

1939

3 September: Outbreak of Second World War.
September: Cliff arrested and imprisoned.

1944

June: Chanie Rosenberg comes to Palestine.

1946

April: International Pre-Conference of Fourth International.
September: Cliff meets Fourth International leaders in Paris.
September Cliff comes to Britain.

1947

14 May: Establishment of state of Israel.

1948

February: Stalinists take power in Czechoslovakia.
June: Cliff completes The Class Nature of Stalinist Russia.

1949

4-6 June: Dissolution of the Revolutionary Communist Party.
1 October: Mao comes to power in China.

1950

September; First meeting of Socialist Review Group.

1951

Whitsun: Founding conference of Socialist Review Group.
June: Cliff returns to Britain.

1952

Stalin’s Satellites in Europe.

1953

5 March: Death of Stalin.

1956

October-November Hungarian Revolution.

1957

Mao’s China.

1958

4-7 April: First CND march – London to Aldermaston.

1959

January: Cuban Revolution.

1959

Rosa Luxemburg.

1960

Founding of journal International Socialism.
February: Labour Party launches Young Socialists.

1961

Launching of Industrial Worker, subsequently Labour Worker.

1962

December: Socialist Review Group becomes International Socialists.

1964

15 October: Election of Wilson’s Labour government.

1966

16 January: Founding of London Industrial Shop Stewards’ Defence Committee.
Incomes Policy, Legislation and Shop Stewards (with Colin Barker).

1967

13 March onwards: Student occupation at London School of Economics.

1968

30 January: Tet Offensive in Vietnam begins.
May-June: General strike in France.
June: Labour Worker becomes Socialist Worker.
20 August: Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia.
7 September. Socialist Worker becomes weekly.
December: International Socialists adopt democratic centralist constitution.

1969

August: British troops take responsibility for ‘law and order’ in Northern Ireland.

1970

The Employers’ Offensive.
18 June: Heath’s Tory government elected.

1972

21-26 July: Jailing of five dockers in Pentonville.

1974

5 March: Labour government formed following miners’ strike.
30 March: First Rank and File conference.
25 April: Portugal – army overthrows Caetano.

1975-79

Lenin (4 volumes).

1975

1 July: Labour government introduces wage controls.
September: Portugal at the Crossroads.

1976

28 February-20 March: Right to Work March from Manchester to London.
4 November: Walsall by-election.

1977

1 January: International Socialists become Socialist Workers Party.
13 August: Lewisham anti National Front demonstration.

1978

30 April: First Anti Nazi League Carnival.

1979

23 April: Blair Peach killed by police at Southall.
3 May: Tory election victory – Thatcher prime minister.
10-14 November SWP conference accepts analysis of ‘downturn’.

1981

Benn campaign for deputy leadership of Labour Party.

1982

17 July: Closing of Women’s Voice.

1984

April: Class Struggle and Women’s Liberation.

1984-85

The Great Miners’ Strike.

1986

April: Marxism and Trade Union Struggle (with Donny Gluckstein).

1988

October: The Labour Party: A Marxist History (with Donny Gluckstein).

1989-93

Trotsky (4 volumes).

1989

10 November: Fall of Berlin Wall.

1990

31 March: Riot against poll tax.

1997

1 May: Election of Labour government under Blair.

1999

Trotskyism After Trotsky.