Big flame

This text addresses the ideas and experiences of a small British revolutionary socialist and feminist organisation in the 1970s and 1980s. Written by two ex-members, it sets out the organisation's eclectic influences: Italian Marxism, libertarianism, James-ianism, anarchism - and its complex relationship with Leninism and Trotskyism. Big Flame lost momentum in the early 1980s when many leftists joined the Labour Party. It includes a critical interpretation of Big Flame's successes and failures. The analysis is interspersed with vignettes from 40 members reflecting on their days in the organisation.