Written by Robert Tressell (real name Robert Noonan) it tells the story of a group of building workers working for the firm Rushton and Co. (an apt name) in the town of Mugsborough (Hastings) in the early years of the 20th century. The book is a semi-autobiography written by Robert Noonan based very much on his own experiences. He chose the name Robert Tressell which is the name used as the author of the work. It sums up working conditions and practices of Edwardian Britain based purely on exploitation, bullying and ‘scamping the work’ simply for profit.
The book in parts is wildly thought to have had an influence on the 1945 UK General Election result which for the first time brought in a majority Labour administration led by Clement Attlee. Atlee’s programme was broadly socialist with manifesto promising a Welfare State, including a National Health Service and an end to the means testing for state benefits in the event of unemployment. It heralded in a new era of British politics basing the economy on the works of the liberal economist, John Maynard Keynes. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists has been described as instrumental for this landslide victory of the then progressive if not exactly revolutionary, in its violent overthrowing of capitalism sense, Labour government. This was despite the fact that the full work was not published until 1955 by Lawrence and Wishart. Bt parts of the work, much written in pencil in Noonan’s spare time, were put together in some condensed versions before this date, hence ten years previous having a bearing on the election result.
The book is humorous, tragic and certainly very political, and explains the principles of socialism without the hard work of reading the works of Karl Marx. The working conditions of the men working on the site, renovating an old house, The Cave, owned by a Mr Adam Sweater, a friend of Mr Rushton the owner of the building firm Rushton and Co a man who knew absolutely nothing about the industry he claimed to be a leading light of. It was here at The Cave where the men were slave driven all day by the firm's Foreman, Mr Hunter or ‘Nimrod’ as he was called behind his back by the hands. Employed at The Cave were painters, plasterers, plumbers, bricklayers and general labourers, who Hunter harangued threatened and sacked. Mr Rushton paid as little in the form of wages he could get away with while demanding the maximum output from the men. Many of those employed by the firm were not in fact tradesmen at all but could at best be described as semi-skilled. Among those who were tradesmen was Frank Owen, a skilled painter who could also perform specialised work. He was an old school painter trained well by another craftsman. The names of the characters are all very appt and sum up the relative alternative use and meaning for their names.
Bob Crass was the foreman painter though he knew very little about the trade except how to ‘scamp’ or rush the work and grovel to the Foreman. Crass alternatively means ‘stupid’ which this character certainly was. The Foreman, Mr Hunter or ‘Nimrod’ was named such because he was always hunting or stalking the men always looking for an excuse to either sack a man or reduce his wages even further. If he could sack a full price man, he could bring in a ‘makeshift’ worker who was perhaps not fully qualified but could, for example, splash some paint over the wall. This way he could pay him below price thus saving the firm money but charging the customer full price for tradesmen’s work.
One man outside Hunters reach was Frank Owen, who was a skilled man and more than that he was competent and took pride in his work. Other characters were Joe Philpot, who liked a drink and a full pot of ale, Will Easton and his wife, Ruth, who took in a lodger, a Bible thumper, as was Mr Hunter, named Slyme. Again appropriate names with dual interpretations. The good Christian (I think not) Slyme had an affair with Ruth Easton making her pregnant and therefore terrified of what her husband would say or how he would react. Slyme, the Bible thumping hypocrite, was a supposed workmate of Will Easton whose wife he had impregnated. Another tragic character is the young supposed apprentice, Bert White who was basically used by Rushton and Co as unpaid hard labour. There are many other characters, some hilarious, some sad others tragic but all relevant to the times. People like the ‘Semi-Drunk’, the ‘Besotted Wretch’ and the petit bourgeois ‘Old Dear,’ the pub landlord, all add to complete the novel.
Frank Owen was also a socialist which was why Mr Hunter despised him but could do nothing about it. Owen, probably named after Robert Owen, the socialist and industrialist who helped form the Grand National Consolidated Trade Union (GNCTU) back in the 19th century and formed a workers cooperative in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Owen spent tireless hours trying to convince the slave driven hands that there was a better way to run the world's affairs. A way based on cooperation and mutual help and a harmonious life called socialism. The underpaid, underfed hands were all hostile to this concept of Owen’s, many considering him “a bloody fool”. Perhaps the most hostile to Owen’s thinking was the foreman painter, Bob Crass. Crass considered himself a good friend of Mr Hunter, which he was not as Nimrod had no friends, and because the Foreman, Hunter, allowed Crass to help out in the firms undertaking side of business Crass considered himself well in with the bosses! Owen described the principle of exploitation in the most basic way to make the concept easier for the men to understand. Crass constantly tried to outflank Owen, with absolutely no success, with articles from his daily read; The Daily Obscurer a paper which, as the title suggests, obscures the readers already infantile mind from anything approaching the truth.
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists has had a huge impact over the years in changing people’s political outlooks and opinions. Many would-be onetime fascists have become socialists after reading this book. Perhaps a famous example of such a transformation of political position is that of the actor and onetime trade unionist, Ricky Tomlinson. Tomlinson was given a two-year prison sentence in 1972 for his part in the first national construction workers strike Britain had ever seen. He and another union activist and construction worker, Des Warren, were jailed for two years. However, prior to Tomlinson’s involvement in socialist and trade union activities he was, under his own admission, a member of the fascist National Front (NF) in Britian. He was inspired at the time by Enoch Powells ‘rivers of blood’ speech in 1968. What completely transformed his views and political position, making him an ant-fascist, was reading The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists so influential is the read. Ricky Tomlinson is now a member of ‘Socialist Labour’ with Arthur Scargill, the former miner’s union leader.
Frank Owen was also a socialist which was why Mr Hunter despised him but could do nothing about it. Owen, probably named after Robert Owen, the socialist and industrialist who helped form the Grand National Consolidated Trade Union (GNCTU) back in the 19th century and formed a workers cooperative in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Owen spent tireless hours trying to convince the slave driven hands that there was a better way to run the world's affairs. A way based on cooperation and mutual help and a harmonious life called socialism. The underpaid, underfed hands were all hostile to this concept of Owen’s, many considering him “a bloody fool”. Perhaps the most hostile to Owen’s thinking was the foreman painter, Bob Crass. Crass considered himself a good friend of Mr Hunter, which he was not as Nimrod had no friends, and because the Foreman, Hunter, allowed Crass to help out in the firms undertaking side of business Crass considered himself well in with the bosses! Owen described the principle of exploitation in the most basic way to make the concept easier for the men to understand. Crass constantly tried to outflank Owen, with absolutely no success, with articles from his daily read; The Daily Obscurer a paper which, as the title suggests, obscures the readers already infantile mind from anything approaching the truth.
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists has had a huge impact over the years in changing people’s political outlooks and opinions. Many would-be onetime fascists have become socialists after reading this book. Perhaps a famous example of such a transformation of political position is that of the actor and onetime trade unionist, Ricky Tomlinson. Tomlinson was given a two-year prison sentence in 1972 for his part in the first national construction workers strike Britain had ever seen. He and another union activist and construction worker, Des Warren, were jailed for two years. However, prior to Tomlinson’s involvement in socialist and trade union activities he was, under his own admission, a member of the fascist National Front (NF) in Britian. He was inspired at the time by Enoch Powells ‘rivers of blood’ speech in 1968. What completely transformed his views and political position, making him an ant-fascist, was reading The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists so influential is the read. Ricky Tomlinson is now a member of ‘Socialist Labour’ with Arthur Scargill, the former miner’s union leader.
The book is considered by many, including myself, to be the socialist bible and describes in a humorous though sometimes sad, regards the story, and informative way the principles of socialist politics and economics without the hard work of Marx’s Das Kapital. Perhaps some of Britain’s contemporary Labour MPs should read this book and have a rethink about the modern Labour Party’s position and how far off the track, derailed, they have become!
Critics of the book say things like ‘oh yes that was all very well over a hundred years ago but things are not like that now’. Really? The principles applied by Tressell in this work are as applicable today as they were then. People are still grafting for starvation wages, are still without a roof over their heads, are still exploited just as the hands were in the town of Mugborough. The only aspect which has changed is the advancement of the means of production, something which under socialism would benefit the whole of humankind, but under capitalism only advances the interests and profits of the employers.
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is available in many bookshops including the Communist Party of Ireland shop, Connolly Books in Essex Street, Temple Bar Dubin, the Sinn Fein Book Shop (or it once was stocked there), Parnell Square Dublin and many other shops. A recommended read for all students of politics not just socialists, after all, we are the ‘converted’ but those who may consider themselves ideologically removed from socialism, like Ricky Tomlinson once was. Tomlinson is not alone in his complete change of political position. I personally know of former fascist sympathisers who are now vehemently anti-fascist often fighting them on the streets. Many will tell you one of the greatest influences in their change was reading The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.
Critics of the book say things like ‘oh yes that was all very well over a hundred years ago but things are not like that now’. Really? The principles applied by Tressell in this work are as applicable today as they were then. People are still grafting for starvation wages, are still without a roof over their heads, are still exploited just as the hands were in the town of Mugborough. The only aspect which has changed is the advancement of the means of production, something which under socialism would benefit the whole of humankind, but under capitalism only advances the interests and profits of the employers.
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is available in many bookshops including the Communist Party of Ireland shop, Connolly Books in Essex Street, Temple Bar Dubin, the Sinn Fein Book Shop (or it once was stocked there), Parnell Square Dublin and many other shops. A recommended read for all students of politics not just socialists, after all, we are the ‘converted’ but those who may consider themselves ideologically removed from socialism, like Ricky Tomlinson once was. Tomlinson is not alone in his complete change of political position. I personally know of former fascist sympathisers who are now vehemently anti-fascist often fighting them on the streets. Many will tell you one of the greatest influences in their change was reading The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.
 |
| Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist. |
No comments