Aneurin Bevan and the Socialist Ideal - Professor Vernon Bogdanor

Aneurin Bevan was the leading postwar representative in Britain of the socialist ideal. He is best remembered for the creation of the National Health Service which he regarded as a symbol of applied socialism, a national service free at the point of use and available to all. But, even before he resigned from the postwar Labour government in 1951, this ideal was being eroded. Were his hopes doomed to disappointment?
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:
www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and...
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[@Red-Revolution708]

What a great man Aneurin Bevan was.

[@arthurfrancisd.murphy1643]

superb; clear,vastly informative and gives an accurate portrait of a man for whom ethics and politics were one

[@Theremedialgash]

As an uneducated Welsh 'pleb' I am thankful for this stuff, so that I may occasionly be enlightented by my betters. Yes I am taking the piss, but this lecture is a great bunch of lads.

[@Bradonomous]

All Bogdanor's lectures are brilliant - always very entertaining and thought provoking. His best has got to be his Faulkands one, very different from the official story.....

[@Nounismisation]

Well prepared research presented helpfully. Thank you very much Vernon and thank you the college. Thanks both for making this available to us all.

[@petergreen2552]

Nye Bevan_ a true political giant. A fantastic orator and a statesman in the real sense of the word. A proud battling social warrior

[@th8257]

Sadly, a huge disconnect between him and a large part of the British public. As Tony Crosland was to say about Bevan's wing of the party "They are radical but not contemporary" they want to change a society that no longer exists.

[@heleneBAP]

These lectures are so excellent I Thank you so much for sharing this with us, Hélène from France

[@Mascherina1964]

This was wonderful to listen to. Many thanks!

[@johnbull9195]

Interesting that his foreign policy is almost the exact opposite of Corbyn's.

[@Laurencemardon]

To agree with Mr. B Pray this was just wonderful to listen to ... well done! Hope Gresham posts the whole series of lectures by this speaker.

[@markcoupe845]

Bevan a true Socialist and a patriot one of the last of the true great Labour People

[@GreshamCollege]

We will indeed post the whole series by Professor Bogdanor - the next one is only two or so weeks away...

[@franklymrshanklyy]

Best prime minister we never had. Wonderful lecture.

[@th8257]

Realistically, I don't think he ever had any prospect of becoming prime minister. He wanted to push in a direction that the public had started to dislike intensely.

[@arthurfrancisd.murphy1643]

yes this the essence......need

[@ProphetVictory]

Fantastic.

[@besserman1]

Well said

[@WorthlessWinner]

Do you think Cancer doesn't happen in free market systems?

[@Canhistoryismylife]

the last of the demagogues, in the coal fields from which he came Marx and Engles had been supplanted by marks and Spence and the sounds of class is being drowned by the hum of the spin dryer who was that prophetic tory?