Harold Joseph Laski Papers

Period 1910-1952
Total size   0.4 m.
ConsultationNot restricted
Repository  Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis

Biography

Born in Manchester 1893, died in London 1950; political theorist, Labour Party leader; studied history at Oxford University; lectured at McGill University, Montreal 1914-1916 and at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts until 1920; from then until his death attached to the London School of Economics and Political Science, from 1926 professor of political sciences; frequently visited the USA; member of the Executive Committee of the Fabian Society 1921-1936 and of the Labour Party 1936-1949; served in several government committees; his Marxist approach to history in `The American Democracy' 1948 provoked controversies.

Content

Part of his papers: some correspondence 1910-1950, with G.B. Shaw 1945-1947, Graham Wallas c. 1919-1921, Beatrice and Sidney Webb 1920-1946, H.G. Wells c. 1921-1941 and others; mostly typed manuscripts of books and articles, including `A Grammar of Politics' 1925, `Parliamentary Government in England'. NB. Part of his papers at Hull University Library and Syracuse University Library, New York.

Arrangement

This is only a limited collection, chiefly consisting of manuscripts and typescripts of published books and articles. There are only three folders of correspondence. According to oral information from the keeper of manuscripts of the British Library of Political and Economic Science at the London School of Economics another part of Harold Laski's papers is at Hull University. The original order of the collection has been retained, with the exception that occasionally typescripts and manuscripts of articles have been put together, while the letters have been arranged in alphabetical and chronological order.

Processing information

Inventory made by M.W.H. Schreuder in 1984

Related material

At Hull University Library and Syracuse University Library, New York