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Ramsay MacDonald | |
|---|---|
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| Born | James McDonald Ramsay 12 October 1866 Lossiemouth, Scotland |
| Died | 9 November 1937 (aged 71) Atlantic Ocean |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
James Ramsay MacDonald, was the first Labour Prime Minister for the United Kingdom serving in 1924 and again from 1929 to 1935. Macdonald was a 'socialist' leader at the Second International, and is referred to by Lenin as a follower of Kautsky.[1]
Early Life
Macdonald was born to a working class family, and worked as a teacher at the local board school he attended. At 18 he moved to Bristol as a clergyman’s assistant, where he joined the Social Democratic Federation.[2]
Political Career
MacDonald was employed as a Liberal candidate’s assistant in London for 3 years, and joined the Independent Labour Party in 1893. He stood unsuccessfully as a parliamentary candidate in 1895, meanwhile working as a journalist.[2]
He was elected for Leicester in 1906 and in 1911 he became chairman of the parliamentary Labour group. He lost his seat in 1918, but later returned to represent a Welsh mining constituency. Once back in Parliament, he became party leader and in 1924 he was asked to form a coalition government after the failure of the previous Conservative government.[2]
MacDonald's first government was unstable and within a year he called an election, which his party was heavily defeated in. He returned to power in 1929 in a government beset with economic crises, including the doubling of unemployment levels. Macdonald betrayed his party and formed a cross party coalition government, following this he resigned in 1935, and subsequently lost his seat in parliament. He then fought to return to Parliament, winning a by-election.[2]
He died on a boat in transit to South America in 1937.[2]
References
- ↑ Vladimir Lenin (1917). Imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism: 'Preface IV'.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "History of James Ramsay MacDonald" (2023). GOV.UK.