Wars of Position?: Marxism Today, Cultural Politics and the Remaking of the Left Press, 1979-90

Originally founded as the theoretical journal of the Communist Party of Great Britain, during the 1980’s Marxism Today was transformed into a ‘glossy’ left magazine of immense influence on the British Left. Inspired by Raymond Williams’ cultural materialism, H.F. Pimlott explores the connections between political practice and cultural form as she assesses the publication’s successes and failures. This analysis touches on Marxism Today’s political and cultural critiques of Thatcherism and the Left-especially those authored by Stuart Hall and Eric Hobsbawm-its innovative publicity and marketplace distribution, relationships with the national UK press, cultural coverage, design and format, and writing style.

In a political landscape where an emerging left is striving to find its voice,
Wars of Position offers insights for contemporary media activists and challenges the neglect of the left press by media scholars.