The halted march of the European left: lessons from history
In the 1970s, the European left was thriving. Across the continent, numerous groups emerged to defend the working‑class in all its diversity. New waves of organising—led by women, migrants, and young workers—pointed to the vitality of the labour movement. And then... the left’s progress came to a sharp halt. What brought about such decline? What lessons must we take away from this historical turning point?
Join us for an evening of reflection and discussion with Oxford historian Matt Myers, as he shares key takeaways from his new book The Halted March of the European Left: The Working Class in Britain, France, and Italy, 1968–1989.
Meet our speaker and chair
Matt Myers' research has been principally concerned with comparative and transnational history during the 20th century. His new book The Halted March of the European Left draws the historical trajectory of the left in Britain, France, and Italy from the 1960s to the 1990s. Dr Myers is currently working on a transnational history of water infrastructure.
Robin Archer is the director of the Ralph Miliband Programme and director of the postgraduate programme in political sociology at LSE. He is the author of Economic Democracy: The Politics of Feasible Socialism.
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