A powerful new history of the Great Strike through the voices of the miners themselves, based on more than 140 interviews with former miners and their families. Forty years ago, Arthur Scargill led the National Union of Mineworkers in one of the biggest strikes in British history. A strong sense of pride existed within the mining communities of Britain, who saw themselves as the backbone of the country's economy. However, they were condemned by Margaret Thatcher's government and were ultimately defeated: they were deprived of their jobs, their livelihoods, and in some cases, even their lives. In this groundbreaking new history, Robert Gildea interviews the miners and their families who fought to defend themselves. Exploring mining communities from South Wales to the Midlands, Yorkshire, County Durham, and Fife, Gildea shows how the miners and their families organized their self-defense, as well as how a network of activists mobilized support for them. In the shadow of recent industrial action in the UK, Backbone of the Nation re-emphasizes the significance of workers' organization — and closely documents the victories, defeats, and resilience of these mining communities.
Manufacturer
- Author
- Robert Gildea
- Publisher
- Yale University Press
- Skroutz Book Awards 2025
- -
- Type
- General History
- Theme
- World History, Historical Archives
- Language
- English
- Subtitle
- -
- Cover
- Soft
- Number of Pages
- 496
- Release Date
- -
- Publication Date
- 2024
- Dimensions
- -
- ISBN-13
- 9780300277906
Important information
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