The making of the English working class

by E. P. Thompson

848 pages

English language

Published Jan. 4, 1966 by Vintage Books.

ISBN:: 978-0-394-70322-0
OCLC Number:: 2408049

(11 reviews)

Thompson turned history on its head by focusing on the political agency of the people, whom historians had treated as anonymous masses.

23 editions

LuisVilla reviewed The making of the English working class by E. P. Thompson (A Vintage Giant -- V322.)

Review of 'The making of the English working class' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Magisterial is a good word for it, I think. Can't call it a must-read, but definitely thought-provoking for anyone thinking about how social movements form.

loppear reviewed The Making of the English Working Class by E. P. Thompson

Review of 'The Making of the English Working Class' on Goodreads

4 stars

Awe-inspiring historical writing, in research and reframing of the state of working-class organization, rebellion, and self-awareness in the midst of the English Industrial Revolution. Long, and ultimately worth it: I was particularly engrossed in the discussion of Luddism, of Owenism, and of the ebb and flow of organizations, clubs, and societies throughout these years in creating political counterbalance to the state's alliance with laissez faire ideology.

Scott reviewed The making of the English working class by E. P. Thompson (A Vintage Giant -- V322.)

Review of 'The making of the English working class' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Thompson shares the impressive legacy of struggle and the agency with which that class strived for a better life. He proposes class as a "historical phenomenon" understood "as a social and cultural formation." This is in stark contrast to Marxism, where class is defined by one’s relationship to the means of production. It reminded me Zinn's People History, though Thompson does not touch on women, the Irish or other factors that would paint a broader picture of the working class.