The History of the Fabian Society

by Edward R.B. Pease

Edward Pease was an early 20th century writer and the founder of the Fabian Society. Pease was the son of Quakers and was educated at home. At sixteen he moved to London to become a stockbroker. When Pease received a small inheritance he left London and tried converting the working class to socialism. When this failed he returned to London. The Fabian Society is a British intellectual socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of social democracy via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary means. The society is best known for its work in the 19th century leading to World War I. This formed the basis of the Labour party and effected the states that were beginning decolonisation especially India. The society is still in existence today and forms a think tank for the left of center in the New Labour Party.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

216 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2000

About the author

Edward Reynolds Pease was an English writer. He was one of the founding members of the Fabian Society.

Reviews

[Alex Frame · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought I'd read about the origins of the Fabian Society whose goals included enancipating the workers, ending unemployment, abolishing property ownership and nationalising vital industry which has today totally infiltrated left wing politics, governments and thinking in the western world.
Basically a diluted form of Marxism for the west.
Early members included George Bernard Shaw , HG Welles
The rise of the UK Labour party early in the 20th century to a position of power is directly attributed to the Fabian influence there.
The book is not written well and rather boring to read but in any case it is important to see where most of today's western left wing politicians get their ideas from.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, as two stars denotes, this was okay. It did what I intended it to do, which was to teach me what the Fabian Society was about. It wasn't deeply interesting, it lacked character development, and there were no sex scenes. I thought he was supposed to have been a teen idol. Yes, I'm kidding. He wasn't even that cute.