Arthur MacManus
Encyclopedia
Arthur MacManus was a Scottish
trade unionist and communist politician
.
(SLP) and began work at Singers
in Clydebank
, then known as part of the Red Clydeside
. However, he was sacked in April 1911 following an unsuccessful strike
.
Supporting the SLP's opposition to World War I
, MacManus was arrested in 1915 at a meeting in George Square
, Glasgow
, for speaking against the threatened introduction of conscription
.
MacManus became a leading member of the Clyde Workers Committee, and for supporting David Kirkwood
in the William Beardmore and Company
strike of 1916, he was one of five people deported to Edinburgh
.
In the 1918 UK general election, MacManus stood unsuccessfully for the SLP in Halifax
. Following the October Revolution
, he became a proponent of a united communist party
. In January 1919, he was appointed to serve on a Unity Committee, to engage in discussions on uniting with the British Socialist Party
, Workers Socialist Federation
and various smaller groups.
In an attempt to resolve differences between the various socialist groups, the Committee proposed to form a communist party, then hold a vote on Labour Party
affiliation one year later. The SLP executive publicly repudiated this proposal, and decided to cease unity negotiations. Together with Tom Bell and William Paul, MacManus did not accept this. They continued to attend the negotiations, and in April 1920, formed the Communist Unity Group
. In August, this became the second largest group to participate in the formation of the Communist Party of Great Britain
(CPGB), and MacManus became the party's first Chairman, a post he held until 1922. That year, he attended a special conference of the Executive Committee of the Comintern
, at which it was decided to reorganise the party. MacManus became its Colonial Secretary, and attended the Fourth Congress of the Comintern in September, at which he was elected to its Executive Committee and Praesidium.
In 1924 the Zinoviev Letter
was circulated, calling for increased communist agitation in Britain. This forgery, intended to damage the Labour Party's chances in the general election, was purportedly signed both by Grigory Zinoviev
and MacManus.
In 1925 MacManus was one of twelve CPGB officials imprisoned for seditious libel
and incitement to mutiny
.
MacManus was able to attend the founding conference of the League Against Imperialism
in 1927, but died later in the year. His ashes were placed within the Kremlin Wall Necropolis
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
trade unionist and communist politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Political career
MacManus joined the De Leonist Socialist Labour PartySocialist Labour Party (UK, 1903)
The Socialist Labour Party was a socialist political party in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1903 as a splinter from the Social Democratic Federation by James Connolly, Neil Maclean and SDF members impressed with the politics of the American socialist Daniel De Leon, a Marxist...
(SLP) and began work at Singers
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
in Clydebank
Clydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...
, then known as part of the Red Clydeside
Red Clydeside
Red Clydeside is a term used to describe the era of political radicalism that characterised the city of Glasgow in Scotland, and urban areas around the city on the banks of the River Clyde such as Clydebank, Greenock and Paisley...
. However, he was sacked in April 1911 following an unsuccessful strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
.
Supporting the SLP's opposition to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, MacManus was arrested in 1915 at a meeting in George Square
George Square
George Square is the principal civic square in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is named after King George III.-Historical development:George Square was laid out in 1781, part of the innovative Georgian central grid plan that initially spanned from Stockwell Street east to Buchanan Street—which...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, for speaking against the threatened introduction of conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
.
MacManus became a leading member of the Clyde Workers Committee, and for supporting David Kirkwood
David Kirkwood
David Kirkwood, 1st Baron Kirkwood, PC was a socialist from the East End of Glasgow, Scotland, viewed as a leading figure of the Red Clydeside era.Kirkwood was educated at Parkhead Public School and was trained as an engineer....
in the William Beardmore and Company
William Beardmore and Company
William Beardmore and Company was a Scottish engineering and shipbuilding conglomerate based in Glasgow and the surrounding Clydeside area. It was active between about 1890 and 1930 and at its peak employed about 40,000 people...
strike of 1916, he was one of five people deported to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
In the 1918 UK general election, MacManus stood unsuccessfully for the SLP in Halifax
Halifax (UK Parliament constituency)
Halifax is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.- Boundaries :...
. Following the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
, he became a proponent of a united communist party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
. In January 1919, he was appointed to serve on a Unity Committee, to engage in discussions on uniting with the British Socialist Party
British Socialist Party
The British Socialist Party was a Marxist political organisation established in Great Britain in 1911. Following a protracted period of factional struggle, in 1916 the party's anti-war forces gained decisive control of the party and saw the defection of its pro-war Right Wing...
, Workers Socialist Federation
Workers Socialist Federation
The Workers' Socialist Federation was a socialist political party in the United Kingdom, led by Sylvia Pankhurst. Under many different names, it gradually broadened its politics from a focus on women's suffrage to eventually become a left communist grouping....
and various smaller groups.
In an attempt to resolve differences between the various socialist groups, the Committee proposed to form a communist party, then hold a vote on Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
affiliation one year later. The SLP executive publicly repudiated this proposal, and decided to cease unity negotiations. Together with Tom Bell and William Paul, MacManus did not accept this. They continued to attend the negotiations, and in April 1920, formed the Communist Unity Group
Communist Unity Group
The Communist Unity Group was a small communist organisation in the United Kingdom.The origins of the group lay in the Socialist Labour Party...
. In August, this became the second largest group to participate in the formation of the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
(CPGB), and MacManus became the party's first Chairman, a post he held until 1922. That year, he attended a special conference of the Executive Committee of the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
, at which it was decided to reorganise the party. MacManus became its Colonial Secretary, and attended the Fourth Congress of the Comintern in September, at which he was elected to its Executive Committee and Praesidium.
In 1924 the Zinoviev Letter
Zinoviev Letter
The "Zinoviev Letter" refers to a controversial document published by the British press in 1924, allegedly sent from the Communist International in Moscow to the Communist Party of Great Britain...
was circulated, calling for increased communist agitation in Britain. This forgery, intended to damage the Labour Party's chances in the general election, was purportedly signed both by Grigory Zinoviev
Grigory Zinoviev
Grigory Yevseevich Zinoviev , born Ovsei-Gershon Aronovich Radomyslsky Apfelbaum , was a Bolshevik revolutionary and a Soviet Communist politician...
and MacManus.
In 1925 MacManus was one of twelve CPGB officials imprisoned for seditious libel
Seditious libel
Seditious libel was a criminal offence under English common law. Sedition is the offence of speaking seditious words with seditious intent: if the statement is in writing or some other permanent form it is seditious libel...
and incitement to mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
.
MacManus was able to attend the founding conference of the League Against Imperialism
League against Imperialism
The League against Imperialism was founded in the Egmont Palace in Brussels, Belgium, on February 10, 1927, in presence of 175 delegates, among which 107 came from 37 countries under colonial rule. The Congress aimed at creating a "mass anti-imperialist movement" at a world scale, and was...
in 1927, but died later in the year. His ashes were placed within the Kremlin Wall Necropolis
Kremlin Wall Necropolis
Burials in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis in Moscow began in November 1917, when 240 pro-Bolshevik victims of the October Revolution were buried in mass graves on Red Square. It is centered on both sides of Lenin's Mausoleum, initially built in wood in 1924 and rebuilt in granite in 1929–1930...
.