Red Clydeside: A history of the labour movement in Glasgow 1910-1932

Literature

The Red Dawn, 1915

A book of verse for revolutionaries and others

by Albert Young

Albert Young was a well-known Glasgow Marxist who, along with fellow British Socialist Party member Tom Anderson, founded the Proletarian Schools. The Proletarian Schools were run on a similar basis to traditional Sunday schools but with the emphasis on the teachings of Marx and revolutionary socialism. At their peak of popularity in the early 1920s the schools had over 30 branches in cities and towns throughout Scotland and England.

The Proletarian schools were responsible for writing and publishing their own books of verse and poetry which were made available to the public as well as being used to teach the basic principles of Marxism and socialism to pupils of the schools.

The aim of the Proletarian Schools and was to provide a counterbalance to the perceived wisdom of the established political order and industrial capitalism, as well as to influence pupils to move in a revolutionary direction and helping to sustain their commitment on a long-term basis.