Middle Class Recruits to Communism in the 1930s - Professor Nicholas Deakin CBE

Why did some idealistic young people join the Communist Party of Great Britain in the 1930s? What was the attraction of Communism and which beliefs, events or material circumstances prompted them to join? How did the Party respond to this predominantly university-educated group of recruits? These and related issues will be explored through case studies which trace their trajectories as members from recruitment through engagement and often to withdrawal. The issues raised in this lecture were discussed in further detail at the Seminar: Middle Class Recruits to Communism in the 1930s. The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: