Scotland 1919

Synopsis

The events of Bloody Friday, 31 January 1919, in George Square, Glasgow, have become symbolic of the conflict between the workers and the state that took place in the Clydeside region of Lanarkshire, Scotland. The demonstration by around 60,000 striking workers who were demanding shorter working hours and subsequent violent retaliation by the police resulted from ongoing tensions that had emerged between the workers, their families, and the factory owners who were backed by the British government. Throughout the previous nine years, sporadic mass protests had been held to oppose infringements on workers' rights, rent increases, and Britain's participation in World War I. The context was a marked shift away from moderate Liberal politics toward support for Marxist political groups or the British Labour Party. The effects of growth in left-wing activism and the successful use of direct action to promote the workers' struggle were...