The Fabian Society

• Founded in London in January 1884, the Fabian Society wanted to advance the principles of socialism in a gradual, non-confrontational way. It members had grown out of an older society, 'The Fellowship of the New Life', whose members were dedicated to transforming society by setting an example of good, clean and simple living for others to follow.
• Members of the Fabian Society included:

  • George Bernard Shaw
  • H.G. Wells
  • Annie Besant
  • Ramsay MacDonald
  • Emmeline Pankhurst
  • Sidney and Beatrice Webb
• The society held public meetings, published numerous pamphlets and lobbied politicians on a wide range of topics. All early Fabians were united in their rejection of violent upheaval as a way of bringing about change, preferring to utilise the power of local government and trade unions.
• The first Fabian Society pamphlets were aimed at promoting social justice. In 1906, Fabians lobbied for the introduction of a minimum wage in order to stop British companies trying to remain competitive by lowering wages, and in 1911 for the creation of a universal health service that would enable the British to be sufficiently physically fit to defend and develop their Empire.
• In 1900, the Fabians produced a pamphlet (Fabianism and the Empire) which maintained that imperialism should be the basis of British foreign policy. This led to them supporting the British in the Boer War, believing that small nations had no place in a world of empires. Shocked at the poor physical state of recruits, they advocated the formation of a citizen army to replace the professional one, which would be full of fit and healthy men.
• In 1900, they were active in the formation of the Labour Party, resulting in the emergence of the Labour Representative Committee (LRC). 6 years later, 26 LRC sponsored candidates won seats in the election and set up the Labour Party in the Commons. This led to membership of the Fabian Society tripling, numbering some 2500 by 1908. A student section was also established in 1912, which had more than 500 members by 1914.
• In 1913, the 'New Statesman' was formed. This LW socialist magazine was the brainchild of Sidney and Beatrice Webb and sold over 2000 copies of the first edition.