List of BF Publications
This page provides complete information on all Big Flame publications available on the internet – on this site and elsewhere. It is organised by the type of publication (pamphlets, journal articles, newspaper articles, broadsheets/leaflets/bulletins, internal documents) and within these categories alphabetically.
There are also two useful publications which discuss/mention Big Flame: (1) ‘Big Flame: Resituating Socialist Strategy and Organisation’ By John Howell (1981). Originally published in Socialist Register, now on Max Farrar site; (2) ‘The Libertarian Movements of the 1970s – What can we learn?‘ By Max Farrar (1989). Originally published in Edinburgh Review, now on Max Farrar site (also republished on this site in the “Opinions about Big Flame” series). All the posts in the “Opinions about Big Flame” series (including a very different draft by a different author for the Socialist Register) are recommended for more information about the organisation.
All the items from this site listed below were published as part of the “Episodes in Big Flame History” series unless otherwise indicated.
Pamphlets
A Closer Look at Fascism and Racism (1978) [Episode 14]. Available in two parts:
– A Closer Look at Fascism and Racism: front-p10
– A Closer Look at Fascism and Racism: p11-back
An Introduction to Big Flame (1978) [Episode 2]
Big Flame: Our Perspectives and Work (1975) [Episode 2]
Century of the Unexpected: A New Analysis of Soviet Type Societies (1979) [Episode 25]. Available in two parts:
– Century of the Unexpected front-p12
– Century of the Unexpected p13- back
Children and Socialism (1981) [Episode 20]:
– Children and Socialism: Opening Plenary Session
– two other sections of the pamphlet can be found under Internal Documents below.
Chile Si! (1974) [Episode 10]. Available in four parts:
Five Months of Struggle at Halewood (1973) [about Merseyside Ford plant]. Partly republished as “Shop Stewards at Ford” in Radical America September-October 1974 issue. On Radical America site. [Episode 3]
Introductory Guide to Big Flame Perspectives (1980) [Episode 2]
Ireland: Rising in the North (1975) [Episode 9]. Available in three parts:
– Ireland: Rising in the North: front-p12
– Ireland: Rising in the North: p13-p22
– Ireland: Rising in the North: p23-back
Italy 1969-70 (1971). Partly republished in Radical America September-October 1971 issue. On Radical America site [Episode 6]
Labouring Under the Tories? (1979) [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 2]
Organising to Win (1979) [Workplace Commisson pamphlet] [Episode 3]. Available in three parts:
– Organising to Win: Intro and Ch 1-2
Portugal A Blaze of Freedom (1975) [Episode 10]. Available in four parts:
– Portugal A Blaze of Freedom: front-p12
– Portugal A Blaze of Freedom: p13-Supp piv
– Portugal A Blaze of Freedom: Supp pv-p22
– Portugal A Blaze of Freedom: p23-back
Sexuality and Fascism (1979) [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 12]
Shop Stewards and the Class Struggle (1973) [Episode 3]
The Crisis in Education (1977) [Episode 13]. Available in two parts:
– The Crisis in Education: front-p12
– The Crisis in Education: p13-back
The Nature of So-Called Socialist Societies (1980) [Episode 25]. Three of the six articles:
– Some Notes on Big Flame’s Contribution to the Discussion of Soviet-Type Societies
– The Failure of So-Called Socialism
– The Origins and Basis of State Collectivism
The Past against our Future: Fighting Racism and Fascism (1980) [Episode 14]. Available in four parts:
– The Past against Our Future: Intro & Ch1
– The Past against Our Future: Ch2
– The Past against Our Future: Ch3
– The Past against Our Future: Ch4
The Revolution Unfinished? A Critique of Trotskyism (1977) [Episode 24]. Available in four parts:
– The Revolution Unfinished?: front to section 2
– The Revolution Unfinished?: sections 3 to 5(b)(i)
– The Revolution Unfinished?: section 5(b)(ii) to 5(c)
– The Revolution Unfinished?: section 5(d) to back
Towards a New Revolutionary Socialist Organisation (1977) [Episode 11]. Available in three parts:
– Towards a New Revolutionary Socialist Organisation: front-pviii
– Towards a New Revolutionary Socialist Organisation: p1-p10
– Towards a New Revolutionary Socialist Organisation: p11-back
Walking a Tightrope (1980) [Women’s Commission pamphlet] [Episode 4]. Available in three parts:
– Walking a Tightrope: front-p11
– Walking a Tightrope: p12-p25
– Walking a Tightrope: p26-back
We Won’t Pay (1973) [about Tower Hill rent strike, originally published in Big Flame Journal] [Episode 4]
Journal Articles
1968: Ten Years On Revolutionary Socialism No2. Spring 1978 [Episode 16]
A Woman’s Right to Choose Revolutionary Socialism No2. Spring 1978 [Episode 16]
Black Autonomy in Class Struggle Revolutionary Socialism No2. Spring 1978 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 8]
Crisis of the Revolutionary Left in Europe Revolutionary Socialism No5. Summer 1980 [Episode 16]
Daily Life Revolutionary Socialism no4 Winter 1979-80 [Episode 18]
Feminism and the Socialist Alternative Revolutionary Socialism No5. Summer 1980 [Episode 16]
Health Revolutionary Socialism no4 Winter 1979-80 [Episode 23]
Hospitals: our health is not for sale Big Flame Journal no2 Winter 1975-76 [Episode 23]
Riot and Revolution: The Politics of an Inner City Revolutionary Socialism No8. Winter 1981-82. Republished on Max Farrar site. [Episode 16]
What Future for Zimbabwe Now? Revolutionary Socialism No 6. Winter 1980-81. Republished on Labournet site. [Episode 16]
Youth Politics & Youth Culture Revolutionary Socialism No2. Spring 1978 [Episode 16]
Note: A full list of the articles in the two BF journals can be found here: Contents of Big Flame Journal and Revolutionary Socialism.
Newspaper Articles
Complete issues:
Big Flame Newspaper March 1970 [Episode 1]
Big Flame Newspaper June 1972 [Episode 1]
Big Flame Newspaper May 1979 [Episode 15]
– Big Flame Newspaper May 1979 p1-p6
– Big Flame Newspaper May 1979 p7-p10
– Big Flame Newspaper May 1979 p11-p16
Big Flame Newspaper November 1985 [Episode 30]
Articles:
A Sado-Masochist Bonanza? (1981) October 1981 [on the Summer School] [Episode 21]
A Working Class Woman’s View (1981) November 1981 [on the Summer School] [Episode 21]
Anti Sexist Practice! (1982) May 1982 [Episode 19]
Big Flame on Sea (1978) September 1978 [on the Summer School] [Episode 21]
Britain in 1982 (1983) February-March 1983 [Episode 30]
Clerical Fascism (1981) July-August 1981 [on Iran] [Episode 26]
Decentralisation: Labour’s Conjuring Trick (1983) April-May 1983 [Episode 28]
Gulf War (1980) October 1980 [Episode 26]
How shall we fight the oppressor? The British Left and the Anti-Apartheid Movement (1982) April 1982 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 10]
Iran 1979: Can Popular Power win? (1979) February 1979 [Episode 26]
Iran: the Reality is much more Complex (1980) May 1980 [Episode 26]
Iran: what to make of the Mojahedin? (1983) April-May 1983 [Episode 26]
“Its Magic” with Big Eric (1980) September 1980 [on the Summer School] [Episode 21]
Khomeiny’s two front war (1979) December 1979 [on Iran] [Episode 26]
No More the Working Class (1983) February-March 1983 [Episode 30]
On Our Hols (1979) September 1979 [on the Summer School] [Episode 21]
Red and Green (letter) (1983) April-May 1983 [Episode 30]
Socialist Unity: A Critical Assessment (1979) June 1977 [Episode 11]
Southern Africa Special Supplement (1986) February 1986 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 10]
Soviet Troops out of Afghanistan! (1980) March 1980 [Episode 26]
Summer Support (letter) (1979) November 1979 [on the Summer School] [Episode 21]
Why a Men’s Movement? (article) (1979) May 1979 [Episode 19]
Why a Men’s Movement? (letter) (1982) July-August 1982 [Episode 19]
Women in Zimbabwe (1982) October 1982 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 10]
Working for the State (1980) February 1980 [Episode 28]
Zimbabwe: ZANU Turns Sour (1983) April-May 1983 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 10]
Broadsheets/Leaflets/Bulletins/Periodicals/Other
An Open Letter by a Group of Ford Halewood Workers to their Sisters and Brothers (1972) leaflet [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 3]
Anti-Nuclear Action no4 (1984) bulletin [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 6]
Bendix: How the workers took over (1972) [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 11]
Halewood Bulletin no 2 (1974) bulletin [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 3]
Halewood carries on the Fight (1971) leaflet [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 3]
How To Fight Them (1971) broadsheet [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 1]
Letter to Solidarity (1972) [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 11]
The Fifth Column at Fords (1971) leaflet [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 3]
Women’s Struggle Notes (second series) no2 (1977) periodical [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 5]
Internal Documents
A Contribution towards a General Direction for Big Flame (1980) Conference document [Episode 22]
A Critical Look at Big Flame Theory (1981) Discussion Bulletin April 1981 [Episode 6]
A Day Return Ticket (1980) [on Marxism and feminism] [Episode 17]
A Letter from a Leeds Comrade (1982) Information Bulletin 1 June 1983 [Episode 30]
A New Independent Socialist Weekly Paper – On a Sunday (1978) Discussion Bulletin June 1978 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 7]
A New Struggle Notes and the Need for a Changed Perspective for Women (1976) [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 5]
A Perspective for Big Flame in the 80’s (1981) Discussion Bulletin September 1981 [Episode 27]
A Reassessment of ‘Revolutionary Unity’ and the ‘New Revolutionary Organisation’ (1980) Discussion Bulletin Dec 1980 [Episode 8]
A Reply to CD’s Document on Wages for Housework (1976) Internal Bulletin May 1976 [Episode 4]
A Short History of Big Flame Summer Schools (Warts and All) (1981) Discussion Bulletin Feb 1981 [Episode 21]
A Short History of the Libertarian Communist Group (1980) Conference document [Libertarian Communist Group post]
About the Revolutionary Marxist Current (1977) BF/RMC Joint Internal Bulletin July 1977 [Revolutionary Marxist Current post]
An Anti-Report to the Education Commission Report (1976) Conference document [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 13]
Autonomy: A Case of Too Many Meanings (1982) day school document 1982 [Episode 6]
Autonomy and Mass Practice (1981) Discussion Bulletin Nov 1981 [Episode 6]
Big Flame and Socialist Unity (1977) Internal Bulletin Oct 1977 [Episode 11]
Big Flame and the Labour Party (1981) Discussion Bulletin April 1981 [sumary of previous positions] [Episode 27]
Big Flame and the Labour Party: A New Political Direction? (1981) Discussion Bulletin May 1981 [Episode 27]
Big Flame Constitution (1980) Conference document [Episode 12]
Big Flame contribution to the ISA post-conference bulletin (1979) Conference document [International Socialist Alliance post]
Big Flame Discussion Paper for the NAC Conference 1980 (1980) Discussion Bulletin May 1980 [Episode 17]
Big Flame in the Blip Chip Age (1983) Conference document [Episode 30]
Big Flame Socialist Feminist Perspective (1980) Conference document [Episode 17]
Black Autonomy and the White Left (1984) Discussion Bulletin Jan 1984 [Episode 14 and Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 8]
Black Autonomy: Why Big Flame Offers Unconditional Support (1978) Conference document [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 8]
But How Can I Raise the Question of Ireland from Day to Day? (1979) Conference document [Episode 9]
Children and Socialism (1980) Discussion Bulletin May 1980 [Episode 20] (also in Children and Socialism)
Class and Party in Trotskyism and Leninism (1975) [Episode 24]
Comments on the Tendency Motions and Documents (1980) Conference document [Episode 22]
Contribution to the debate on Ireland (1979) Conference document [Episode 9]
Death & Birth (1982) Discussion Bulletin June-July 1982[Episode 30]
Discussion Document on Big Flame’s Perspectives (1981) Discussion Bulletin November 1981 [Episode 27]
Discussion on Ireland (1979) Conference document [Episode 9]
Does the Struggle Continue? (1982) day school document 1982 [Episode 6]
Discussion Paper on Organisation (1971) [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 9]
East London Big Flame: What is a Big Flame Group? (1975) Conference document [Episode 5]
Facing the Challenge of the 80s (1981) Discussion Bulletin October 1981 [Episode 27]
For a New Relationship with the Labour Party (1981) Discussion Bulletin July 1981 [Episode 27]
Ford Halewood Report (1976) Conference document [Episode 3]
From Organising to Organisation (1974) [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 9]
Hackney Goes local … Or Decentralisation for Beginners (1983) Discussion Bulletin January 1983 [Episode 28]
History of women’s movement within BF (1981) Discussion Bulletin Feb 1981 [Episode 4]
Housework: Its Role in Capitalist Relations of Production and in Revolutionary Strategy (1977) Internal Bulletin June 1977 [Episode 4]
How Often a Paper and for Whom? (1979) Conference document [Episode 15]
In a Barbed Wire Canoe (1978) [on personal politics] [Episode 18]
International Solidarity Work (1980) Conference document [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 4]
Introduction to Meeting of Liverpool Big Flame Women’s Group on Wages for Housework (1976) [Episode 4]
Irish Commission Report (1976) Conference document [Episode 9]
Is a Men Against Sexism Politics Needed? (1981) Discussion Bulletin Feb 1981 [Episode 19]
Letter to the Editorial Collective of Women’s Struggle Notes (1977) Internal Bulletin June 1977 [Episode 18]
London Hospitals Report (1976) Conference document [Episode 23]
Mass Work and Big Flame (1981) Discussion Bulletin Sept 1981 [Episode 6]
Merseyside Big Flame: What is a Big Flame Group? (1975) Conference document [Episode 5]
Motion 3 – Big Flame’s Strategy (defeated) (1981) Conference document [Episode 27]
Motion from Furness/Amendment from Kimberley (1984) Conference document [Episode 30]
Motion from Sheffield BF (not agreed) (1984) Conference document [Episode 30]
Motion on BF’s Analysis of the USSR, other Comecon Countries and China (1980) Conference document [Episode 25]
Motion on Perspectives and Priorities (1979) Conference document [Episode 22]
National Committee (1980) Conference document [Episode 12]
National Growth, Local Stagnation (1978) Internal Bulletin May 1978 [Episode 12]
Notes about Reformism (1981) Discussion Bulletin November 1981 [Episode 27]
Notes from Sexuality Workshop at Women’s Weekend (1981) Women’s Conference Discussion Bulletin [Episode 18]
Notes on Being a Red Teacher (1980) Discussion Bulletin May 1980 [Episode 13]
On Autonomous Movements (1982) Discussion Bulletin June-July 1982 [Episode 29]
On the IMG’s Concept of the Vanguard and Ours (1978) Internal Bulletin March 1978 [Episode 24]
On Women’s Autonomy (1982) Women’s Bulletin Spring 1982 [Episode 29]
Propaganda and Consciousness (1975) [Episode 15]
Put Politics in Command [first part] (Plan Y) (1976) Conference document [Episode 11]
Reply to a Letter to Big Flame (1977) Internal Bulletin May 1977 [on shop stewards] [Episode 3]
Report of a Meeting of ex-LCG Members (1981) Discussion Bulletin October 1981 [Libertarian Communist Group post]
Resolution on the Nature of Russia, China and Post-Revolutionary Societies (1976) Conference motion [Episode 7]
Rethinking Party & Class (1980) Discussion Bulletin Dec 1980 [Episode 8]
Review of “Reflections on Organizing” (1972). Republished in Workplace Papers by the STO in 1980. On STO site. [Sojourner Truth Organization post]
Searching for a Perfect Paper (1981) Discussion Bulletin April 1981 [Episode 15]
Socialism and Childcare (1980) Discussion Bulletin May 1980 [Episode 20] (also in Children and Socialism)
Socialist-Feminism Today (1981) Women’s Conference document [Episode 17]
Socialist Unity (1977) Internal Bulletin Dec 1977 [Episode 11]
Some Thoughts on the Journal (1979) [Episode 16]
Statement of the Political Basis for the Formation of a Tendency In Big Flame (1980) Discussion Bulletin July 1980 [Episode 22]
SWP and Ireland (1983) Discussion Bulletin March 1983 [Episode 9]
The Anti-Nuclear Movement – How Best to Intervene (1981) Discussion Bulletin April 1981 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 6]
The Chinese Tragedy (1979) Discussion Bulletin Jan 1979 [Episode 7]
The Debate on Socialist Unity (1977) Internal Bulletin Oct 1977 [Episode 11]
The Future of the Newspaper (1983) Internal Bulletin July 1983 [Episode 15]
The Local State (1983) Information Bulletin 1 August 1983 [Episode 28]
The Local State and the Public Sector (1981) Discussion Bulletin April 1981 [Episode 28]
The Needs and Struggles of Youth (1976) Internal Bulletin May 1976 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 13]
The Problem of Men in Big Flame (1981) Discussion Bulletin Feb 1981 [Episode 19]
The Struggle for Mass Politics (1981) Discussion Bulletin Sept 1981 [Episode 6]
The Youth Question: Where are we now? (1978) Internal Bulletin March 1978 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 13]
The Youth Question in Big Flame (1976) Internal Bulletin Dec 1976 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 13]
Theses on Reformism (1979) Conference document [Episode 22]
Those things we wanted to Know about China and those we did not (1979) Discussion Bulletin May 1979 [Episode 7]
Tickling the Clam (1980) Discussion Bulletin Dec 1980 [on Beyond the Fragments] [Episode 8]
Towards a New Approach to International Solidarity Work (1980) Conference document [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 4]
Towards a New Communist Movement [first part] (Plan X) (1976) Conference document [Episode 11]
Wages for Housework is not Enough but is Necessary (1976) Internal Bulletin May 1976 [Episode 4]
Towards a Transitional Strategy: Prospects for Class Struggle (1980) Conference document [Episode 22]
What has Big Flame got to offer Youth in Leeds? (1976) Internal Bulletin Dec 1976 [Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents no 13]
Why We Need a Discussion of Internal Organisation (1981) Discussion Bulletin July 1981 [Episode 12]
Why the Women’s Commission are against an Anti Sexist Commission (1983) Discussion Bulletin March 1981 [Episode 19]
Women and Big Flame (1980) Conference document [Episode 17]
Women in Big Flame and Elsewhere (1981) [Episode 17]
Women in Big Flame: Some Considerations (1981) Women’s Conference document [Episode 17]
Women’s Commission Report to Big Flame Conference 1976 (1976) Conference document [Episode 4]
Women’s Right to Work and the Labour Party (1982) Women’s Bulletin Spring 1982 [Episode 29]
Working in the Welfare State (1982) Discussion Bulletin June-July 1982 [Episode 28]
Wot Crisis? (1980) Conference document [on internal organisation] [Episode 12]
max farrar said
Re the documents in my posting, perhaps it should be clarified that: (1) the ‘John Howell’ document was commissioned by Socialist Register and while it was drafted by JH (a pseudonym, I think) it was agreed by the National Committee, and several of us had a hand in re-drafting John’s original document. None of us, as I recall, were terribly pleased with the final document, but it could be called a BF publication; (2) the ‘Libertarians’ document was entirely my own work and was never even looked at by anyone else in BF. It was commisioned by the Edinburgh Review and peer reviewed, and can’t be attributed to BF – though it makes use of the BF ‘Manifesto’ document which I hope will be scanned and posted some time in the future.
RobM said
Hi, I wonder if anyone can help…
In Hilary Wainwrights book ‘The Lucas Plan’ there is mention (page 158 in my edition) of a Big Flame pamphlet on alternative production produced for a conference in 1979 or 80. Can anyone identify what this could be (title) and where its available on the internet somewhere?
Cheers,
Rob
archivearchie said
I’ve tried looking into this, but haven’t been able to trace this document. It certainly wasn’t one of BF’s printed, nationally distributed pamphlets. There was one produced during the period mentioned entitled “Labouring under the Tories? or the Socialist Alternative”, but this was about socialism in general and didn’t deal with alternative production.
Assuming Wainwright and Elliot were right and there was a document, it must have been a duplicated one off produced by Big Flame members attending the conference. In which case I am surprised it wasn’t summarised in a write up in a subsequent issue of the BF paper.
I have found four short articles in the paper over the 1978-81 period which are about the Lucas Aerospace Plan, plus an interview with Mike Cooley in the BF journal “Revolutionary Socialism” no5 Summer 1980.
Nor have I found much internal discussion about the Lucas Plan. Big Flame adopted its position on alternative production at its November 1979 conference. The motion passed gave a cautious welcome to the Lucas Plan with a number of caveats. The motion passed said that there can be no socialist alternatives for running capitalism, and that there is nothing inherently anti-capitalist about alternative plans. They should be judged on such factors as whether they help fight closures or contribute to the propaganda for socialism. Plans which were a substitute for struggle should be opposed.
archivearchie said
I should have added that the position taken at the 1979 conference was amended at the next conference in 1980. Two motions were passed containing a more supportive position of alternatie plans. See one of posts in the “Episodes in Big Flame History” series: No 22. 1979-80 Debate – Transitional Politics and Alternative Plans
RobM said
Many thanks for this. It would be really useful to have photocopies or scans of the articles mentioned sometime, if at all possible…
Rob
archivearchie said
Now that I have completed the series of posts on Big Flame History, and my plans (for the foreseeable future) of republishing old BF documents, I wanted to reflect on the list above of everthing now available.
Pamphlets
The site has republished nearly all of BF’s pamphets. The only exceptions I know about are:
(1)Five months of Struggle at Halewood [1973] and Italy 1969-70 [1971](as the majority of both pamphlets can be found on the Radical America site).
(2) The Case against the Social Contract [1977](although published by BF it was written by non-members).
(3) Labouring Under the Tories [1979] – a response to the newly elected Conservative Government (seemed very much of its time and didn’t fit with the theme of any post in the series)
(4) Sexuality and Fascism [1980] (I thought at the time I had sufficient other material for the Anti Racism Anti Fascism post).
(5) The Dockers’ Struggle 1972 [1972] (not a significant enough focus of BF activity to feature in the Industry and Workplace post)
(6) The Working Class, the Unions and Mass Practice [1976] (I would liked to have included this in the Industry and Workplace post, even though BF modified the position on the unions presented in the pamphlet, but didn’t because it is a poor quality stencilled document. I uploading a few poor quality documents which were about 2 to 3 pages, but felt that having 30 pages which are difficult to read was too much).
Newspaper and Journal
The list above gives access to any a very small proportion of the articles published. Many more could have been included.
Internal and Discussion Bulletin
This is the same thing, it was renamed in 1978. I believe that many of the most interesting things written by BF members were here rather than in the public documents. Nevertheless, the extensive selection listed above reprsents a small part of the contents of 50 odd issues.
Topic Specific Publications
These have not been covered in the selection made. From the early Merseyside days there were bulletins for Ford Halewood and Dockside. I believe some other local groups did something similar. Later there were bulletins for Industry, Ireland and Women (called Women’s Struggle Notes, and which became a printed magazine). Plus a printed newspaper on Anti-nuclear matters (Anti-Nuclear Action).
And of course there are no examples of the many leaflets.
Still I believe, that if any readers do follow through the links to the source docments, there is sufficient here to keep them busy for a considerable time.
Update (26th March 2010): I have now decided to start a new series of posts with the title “Miscellaneous Big Flame Documents” which will aim to fill some of the gaps in the items republished on this site that I identified above in this comment.
Camille B said
Hi,
I’m currently researching the WLM in the UK. And I have the fortune to interview a comrade from Big Flame – who had a complete set of Womens Struggle Notes. I was writing to ask if you already had all these documents and if not, would be useful for me to scan them and send them over so they can be added to the archive.
Thanks!