Dictionary of Meaning
<<Back
Please select a letter:
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
U |
V |
W |
X |
Y |
Z |
0-9
Click here for Shopping
Anthony Crosland
*** Shopping-Tip: Anthony Crosland
'''Charles Anthony Raven Crosland''' (born
29 August 1918-died
19 February 1977) was a
United Kingdom British politician and
The Labour Party (UK) Labour member of Parliament - as well as being a socialist theorist.
Educated at
Highgate School and
Trinity College, Oxford, Crosland served as a parachutist in Europe during the
Second World War. He entered Parliament in
1950, and wrote the book ''
The Future Of Socialism'' in
1956 in which he outlined the need for traditional socialism to adapt to modern circumstances - a context from which the use of the term "
Revisionism#Revisionism in the Socialist movement revisionism" has its origins in Britain, despite the gradualism associated with the
Fabian Society since the end of the nineteenth century. Like
Roy Jenkins and
Denis Healey he was a friend and protegé of
Hugh Gaitskell and together they were regarded as the "modernisers" of their day. Under
Harold Wilson Crosland served as
Secretary of State for Education and Science (
1965-
1967) and
President of the Board of Trade (
1967-
1969).
The ongoing campaign for
Comprehensive school comprehensive education in England and Wales gained a major boost with
Circular 10/65 in 1965, which as a statute rather than a
Bill (proposed law) Government Bill was controversial at the time, although a government motion in favour of the policy had been passed in January 1965.[http://www.socialisteducation.org.uk/CB2.htm] It was though, an urgent personal crusade for him, and although there was no questioning the honourable motives for the change, the educational results have been a source of controversy in succeeding decades. It is often claimed that he said "if there's one thing I do, I will smash every fucking
grammar school in the country", probably when he was Education Secretary from 1965-67. Close associates such as
Roy Hattersley have denied the probable authenticity of the quote, but the original source is
Susan Crosland Susan Crosland's biography of her husband, published in 1982.
He was seen as a leader of the right wing of the party in the
1970s, and after Labour's return to power in
1974, he became
Secretary of State for the Environment. He contested the leadership in March
1976 following Wilson's resignation, but polled only 17 votes and finished bottom of the poll. He switched his support to the eventual winner
James Callaghan who duly rewarded him by appointing him
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Foreign Secretary in April 1976.
Crosland died in Oxfordshire Royal Infirmary on 19 February 1977, after suffering a massive
Cerebral Haemorrhage six days before.
His reinterpretative approach to socialism foreshadowed
Tony Blair's creation of
New Labour in the 1990s.
See also:
Charles Clarke
Bibliography
* ''Friends and Rivals: Crosland, Jenkins and Healey'' -
Giles Radice, 2002, ''Little Brown'', ISBN 0316855472
{| border="2" align="center"
|-
|width="30%" align="center"|Preceded by:
'''
Michael Stewart'''
|width="40%" align="center"|'''
Secretary of State for Education and Skills Secretary of State for Education and Science'''
1965–1967
|width="30%" align="center"|Followed by:
'''
Patrick Gordon Walker'''
|-
|width="30%" align="center"|Preceded by:
'''
Douglas Jay'''
|width="40%" align="center"|'''
President of the Board of Trade'''
1967–1969
|width="30%" align="center"|Followed by:
'''
Roy Mason'''
|-
|width="30%" align="center"|Preceded by:
'''—'''
|width="40%" align="center"|'''
Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning'''
1969–1970
|width="30%" align="center"|Followed by:
'''—'''
|-
|width="30%" align="center"|Preceded by:
'''
Geoffrey Rippon'''
|width="40%" align="center"|'''
Secretary of State for the Environment'''
1974–1976
|width="30%" align="center"|Followed by:
'''
Peter Shore'''
|-
|width="30%" align="center"|Preceded by:
'''
James Callaghan'''
|width="40%" align="center"|'''
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Foreign Secretary'''
1976–1977
|width="30%" align="center"|Followed by:
'''
David Owen'''
|}
Category:1918 births Crosland, Anthony
Category:1977 deaths Crosland, Anthony
Category:UK Labour Party politicians Crosland, Anthony
Category:British MPs Crosland, Anthony
Category:British Secretaries of State Crosland, Anthony
Category:Former students of Trinity College, Oxford Crosland, Anthony
Category:Members of the Privy Council Crosland, Anthony
fr:Anthony Crosland
*** Shopping-Tip: Anthony Crosland
