This book documents communists’ attempts, successful and otherwise, to overcome their isolation and to connect with the major social and political movements of the twentieth century. Communist parties in Britain and the Netherlands emerged from the Second World War expecting to play a significant role in post-war society, due to their domestic anti-fascist activities and to the part played by the Soviet Union in defeating fascism. The Cold War shattered these hopes, and isolated communist parties and their members. By analysing the accounts of communist children, Weesjes highlights their struggle to establish communities and define their identities within the specific cultural, social, and political frameworks of the Cold War period and beyond.
- Cover
- Table of Contents
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- Cradle Communists and Oral History
- Part I
- 2 Under the Party’s Wing
- Communist Youth Organisations 1920-1956
- Foundation years
- Class Against Class and Popular Front
- The Spanish Civil War
- The Second World War
- Promising years: 1945-1948
- Isolation: 1948-1956
- 3 Out of the Shadows
- Communist Youth Organisations 1957-1968
- The ban-the-bomb movement
- The politicisation of youth
- The student movement
- The anti-Vietnam War movement
- Old guard vs. new guard
- 4 Fragmentation and Demise
- Communist Youth Organisations 1969-1991
- Gender roles, sexuality and the feminist movement
- The anti-racist movement
- The gay rights movement
- The final years
- Part II
- 5 From Heroes to Villains
- The Second World War and ‘1956’
- Resistance and war trauma
- ‘1956’
- 6 Private Spheres
- Communist Home Life
- Politics at home
- Cultural upbringing
- Child-rearing mores
- 7 Public Spheres
- Neighbourhood, School and Work
- School and education
- Work and careers
- Anti-communism – MI5 and the BVD
- Working mothers
- Money and poverty
- Summer camps and holidays
- Friendships and relationships
- 8 Epilogue
- 9 Afterword
- List of Abbreviations
- Bibliography
- Online Resources
- Archives
- Newspapers and Periodicals
- Documentaries/Film
- Index
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