{"product_id":"bob-crow-socialist-leader-fighter-a-political-biography-9781526100290","title":"Bob Crow: Socialist, Leader, Fighter: A Political","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBob Crow was the most high-profile and militant union leader of his generation. This biography focuses on his leadership of the RMT union, examining and exposing a number of popular myths created about him by political opponents. Using the schema of his personal characteristics (including his public persona), his politics and the power of his members, it explains how and why he was able to punch above his weight in industrial relations and on the political stage, helping the small RMT union become as influential as many of its much larger counterparts. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As RMT leader, Crow oversaw a rise in membership and promoted a more assertive and successful bargaining approach. While he failed to unite all socialists into one new party, he established himself as the leading popular critic of neo-liberalism, 'New' Labour and the age of austerity.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘In this well –written new biography Gregor Gall explains how and why Bob Crow achieved this fame. Central to Bob’s rise to power was the position of the RMT workers on the London Underground.’\u003cbr\u003eBernadette Hyland, Lipstick socialist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘Gregor Gall’s biography does justice to Crow – the socialist, leader and fighter. He was a complicated figure and some of that complexity comes over in the book.’\u003cbr\u003ePaul Salveson, Tribune – April 2107\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘There’s a great exploration of the structures that Crow inherited, the limitations they placed on him and what he did to change the situation, thereby encouraging the development of the RMT on the trajectory that it became renowned for.’\u003cbr\u003eAlan Crowe, Socialist Review May 2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘The late leader of the small but politically important RMT union – a “Marxist Millwall supporter”, as the papers had it, and he was both; “the most hated man in Britain”, as some papers tried on, and he wasn’t – is well served by an account of his career set against informed analysis of 21st-century UK trade unions’ far-from-dinosaurish determination to grapple with changing workplaces, state rollback, electoral politics after Labour’s Blairite takeover, gender equity and globalisation. Gall is wary of the “great man” approach, but wherever Crow’s own words appear, the tale shifts from scholarly grey to vivid, quotable, charismatic and quip-filled \u003ci\u003eRed Flag\u003c\/i\u003e red – and the words “great man” look pretty spot on. ‘ \u003cbr\u003eTHES 20\/04\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘As the first book about Bob Crow published since his untimely death three years ago, Gregor Gall’s political biography of Crow provides us with an opportunity to review his life and his time in the railworkers’ union NUR and its successor RMT, to highlight the key reasons for his effectiveness and impact, and to examine the limits of those.’\u003cbr\u003eJanine Booth, Solidarity Newspaper May 2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'As a political analysis it is refreshing, nuanced and worthwhile.' \u003cbr\u003eConrad Landin, TLS, June 2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘Gall neatly presents Crow’s early life in poverty and the unshakeable class consciousness, learned from his Communist Party father, heretained all his life. He also describes Crow’s rise to prominence in the union, the industrial struggles and the RMT break with the Labour Party in 2004…a well-researched book.’\u003cbr\u003eMartin Pitt and Anne Kenefeck, International Socialism, A quarterly review of socialist theory, Issue 157\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘The book is a fitting record of Bob’s life which draws out lessons and inspirations for us as a movement and as a class going forward.’\u003cbr\u003eRichard Whyte, Scottish Left Review, Issue 103\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘this book should be placed high on the reading list of anyone interested in British industrial relations and the labour movement in general.’ \u003cbr\u003eDavid O’Connell, Global Labour Journal, 2018\u003c\/p\u003e -- .\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003e1 Formative years \u003cbr\u003e2 The 1990s \u003cbr\u003e3 Becoming RMT general secretary \u003cbr\u003e4 Second term as general secretary \u003cbr\u003e5 Last term of office \u003cbr\u003e6 Person and personal life \u003cbr\u003e7 Politics and practice \u003cbr\u003e8 Perception and practice \u003cbr\u003e9 Legacy and legend \u003cbr\u003eAppendix 1: Testimonies \u003cbr\u003eAppendix 2: Tributes to Crow \u003cbr\u003eReferences \u003cbr\u003eIndex\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Manchester University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51040974209367,"sku":"9781526100290","price":23.84,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781526100290.jpg?v=1750948458","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/bob-crow-socialist-leader-fighter-a-political-biography-9781526100290","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}