J. Keir Hardie: A Biography (Classic Reprint)

Keir Hardie was the first leader of the Labour Party way back at the start of the 20th century. He fought diligently for workers’ rights with the relatively new philosophy of Socialism, and against the heartless attitudes of capitalists in politics and industry. Also of note was his firm opposition to unnecessary militarism, from the imperialist dominance of the Boer War to the catastrophic horrors of the First World War that he did his best to warn against. Unfortunately a lot of his efforts were to no avail, but he was deeply respected by his comrades for leading the moral way, whilst being equally despised by Conservatives and Liberals alike in the House of Commons and at town hall meetings.My minor criticism of this biography is that because it was written in 1921, its writing style is significantly dated and can be irritating at times, but it is still the best Hardie biography on the market so certainly worth reading. A man who worked hard for repressed working people regardless of success or failure should always be remembered.