Fabian Tracts: 1884-1901

Click on the link in the title to access the pdf file of a tract. The files vary in size from 1.5MB-31.5MB.

To view these pdf files you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. This software is already installed on many computers. However, if you do not have it, you may download it for free from the Adobe website|.

Tract Title Author Year
1 Why are the many poor?| W L Phillips* 1884
2 A manifesto| George Bernard Shaw* 1884
3 To provident landlords and capitalists: a suggestion and a warning| George Bernard Shaw* 1885
4 What socialism is| Mrs C M Wilson and others* 1886
5 Facts for socialists| showing the distribution of the national income and its results (13th edition) (First edition by Sidney Webb*) 1926
6 The true radical programme| (Fabian Parliamentary League) George Bernard Shaw* 1887
7 Capital and land| (6th edition) Sydney Olivier* 1904
8 Facts for Londoners|. An exhaustive collection of statistical and other facts relating to the metropolis: with suggestions for reform on socialist principles Sidney Webb* 1889
9 An Eight Hours Bill| in the form of an amendment of the Factory Acts, with further provisions for the improvement of the conditions of labour Sidney Webb* 1890
10 Figures for Londoners| Sidney Webb* [1889]
11 The Workers' Political Programme| Sidney Webb* 1891
12 Practicable land nationalization| Sidney Webb* [1890]
13 What socialism is| George Bernard Shaw* [1890]
14 The New Reform Bill| J F Oakeshott and others* 1891
15 English progress towards social democracy| Sidney Webb 1893
16 A plea for an Eight Hours Bill| Sidney Webb* [1890]
17 The reform of the poor law| Sidney Webb 1891
18 Facts for Bristol|. An exhaustive collection of statistical and other facts relating to the city: with suggestions for reform on socialist principles Hartmann W Just* 1891
19 What the farm labourer wants| (3rd edition) Sidney Webb* 1894
20 Questions for Poor Law Guardians| (revised) 1894
21 Questions for London Vestrymen |(revised) J C Foulger* 1894
22 The truth about leasehold enfranchisement| Sidney Webb* [1890]
23 The case for an Eight Hours Bill| Sidney Webb* 1891
24 Questions for Parliamentary candidates| (revised) Sidney Webb* 1900
25 Questions for School Board candidates| Sidney Webb* [1891]
26 Questions for London County Councillors| (revised) Sidney Webb* 1898
27 Questions for Town Councillors| Rev C Peach* [1891]
28 Questions for candidates for County Councils |(outside London and County Boroughs) (revised) F Hudson* 1895
29 What to read on social and economic subjects| (4th edition) Graham Wallas* 1901
30 The unearned increment| (Fabian Municipal Program No.1, revised) Sidney Webb* 1895
31 London's heritage in the city guilds| (Fabian Municipal Program No.2, revised) Sidney Webb* 1898
32 The municipalisation of the gas supply| (Fabian Municipal Program No.3, 3rd edition) Sidney Webb* 1896
33 Municipal tramways| (Fabian Municipal Program No.4, re-written) Sidney Webb* 1898
34 London's water tribute| (Fabian Municipal Program No.5, revised) Sidney Webb* 1898
35 The municipalisation of the London docks| (Fabian Municipal Program No.6) Sidney Webb* [1891]
36 The scandal of London's markets| (Fabian Municipal Program No.7) Sidney Webb* [1891]
37 A labour policy for public authorities| (Fabian Municipal Program No.8, revised) Sidney Webb* 1895
38 Paham mae y lluaws yn dlawd?| [Welsh translation of Tract 1] W L Phillips* [1891]
39 A democratic budget| J F Oakeshott* 1892
40 The Fabian election manifesto| George Bernard Shaw* 1892
41 The Fabian Society: its early history|. Paper read at a conference of the London and Provincial Fabian Societies at Essex Hall, 6 February 1892 (reprint) George Bernard Shaw 1899
42 Christian Socialism|: a lecture by Rev. Stewart D. Headlam read to the Fabian Society, 8 January 1892 (reprint) Stewart D Headlam 1899
43 Vote! Vote!! Vote!!!| George Bernard Shaw* 1892
44 A plea for poor law reform| (revised) Frederick Whelen* 1894
45 The impossibilities of anarchism|. Paper read to the Fabian Society, 16 October 1891 (reprint) George Bernard Shaw 1895
46 Socialism and sailors| Benjamin T Hall 1893
47 The unemployed| John Burns 1893
48 Eight hours by law: a practical solution| (reprint) Henry W Macrosty* 1895
49 A plan of campaign for labour| containing the substance of the Fabian manifesto entitled "To your tents, O Israel" (Fortnightly Review, November 1893); with practical proposals for labour representation George Bernard Shaw* 1894
50 Sweating: its cause and remedy| H W Macrosty* 1894
51 Socialism: true and false|. A lecture delivered to the Fabian Society, 21 January 1894 (reprint) Sidney Webb 1899
52 State education at home and abroad|. A lecture delivered to the Fabian Society, 13 April 1894 J W Martin 1894
53 The Parish Councils Act|: what it is and how to work it Herbert Samuel* 1894
54 The humanising of the poor law|. A lecture delivered to the Humanitarian League, 15 February 1894 J F Oakeshott 1894
55 The Workers' School Board Program| J W Martin* 1894
56 Questions for Parish Council candidates| Herbert Samuel* 1894
57 Questions for candidates for Rural District Councils| Herbert Samuel* 1894
58 Allotments and how to get them| Herbert Samuel* 1894
59 Questions for candidates for Urban District Councils| (revised)   1899
60 The London Vestries|: what they are and what they do Sidney Webb* 1894
61 The London County Council|: what it is and what it does J F Oakeshott* 1895
62 Parish and District Councils|: what they are and what they can do 1895
63 Parish Council cottages and how to get them| Edward R Pease* [1895]
64 How to lose and how to win an election| J Ramsay Macdonald* [1895]
65 Trade unionists and politics| F W Galton* 1895
66   NOT AVAILABLE  
67 Women and the factory acts| Beatrice Webb 1896
68 The tenant's sanitary catechism| (for places outside London) Arthur Hickmott* 1896
69 The difficulties of individualism| Sidney Webb 1896
70 Report on Fabian policy| and resolutions presented by the Fabian Society to the International Socialist Workers and Trade Union Congress George Bernard Shaw* 1896
71 The (London) tenant's sanitary catechism| Miss Grove* 1896
72 The moral aspects of socialism| Sidney Ball 1896
73 The case for state pensions in old age| George Turner 1897
74 The state and its functions in New Zealand| W P Reeves* 1896
75 Labour in the longest reign| (1837-1897) Sidney Webb 1897
76 Houses for the people|: a summary of the powers of local authorities under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts, 1890 to 1900, and the use which has been and can be made of them (3rd edition) Arthur Hickmott* 1900
[77] The employers' liability problem| (first proof)   [1897]
77 The municipalization of tramways| F T H Henlé* 1897
78 Socialism and the teaching of Christ|. With a bibliography of Christian Socialism and particulars of Christian Socialist societies (reprint) Rev John Clifford 1898
79 A word of remembrance and caution to the rich by John Woolman| (Quaker, of New Jersey, 1720-72) John Woolman 1897
80 Shop life and its reform| William Johnson* 1897
81 Municipal water| C M Knowles* 1898
82 The Workmen's Compensation Act|: what it means and how to make use of it (new edition) C R Allen, junior* 1901
83 State arbitration and the living wage|. With an account of the New Zealand and Victorian laws and their results (2nd edition) H W Macrosty* 1903
84 Economics of direct employment|. With an account of the fair wages policy (2nd edition) Sidney Webb* 1900
85 Liquor licensing at home and abroad| Edward R Pease 1898
86 Municipal drink traffic|. With a criticism of local veto and other reform projects Edward R Pease* 1898
87 Sosialaeth a dysgeidiaeth Crist| (reprint) Rev John Clifford 1908
88 The growth of monopoly in English industry| Henry W Macrosty 1899
89 Old age pensions at work| J Bullock* 1899
90 The municipalization of the milk supply| (Fabian Municipal Program, second series, no.1) Dr G F McCleary* 1899
91 Municipal pawnshops| (Fabian Municipal Program, second series, no.2) Charles Charrington* 1899
92 Municipal slaughterhouses| (Fabian Municipal Program, second series, no.3) George Standring* 1899
93 Women as councillors| (Fabian Municipal Program, second series, no.4) George Bernard Shaw* 1900
94 Municipal bakehouses| (Fabian Municipal Program, second series, no.5) Dr G F McCleary* 1900
95 Municipal hospitals| (Fabian Municipal Program, second series, no.6) Dr G F McCleary* 1900
96 Municipal fire insurance| (Fabian Municipal Program, second series, no.7) Mrs Fenton Macpherson* [1901]
97 Municipal steamboats| (Fabian Municipal Program, second series, no.8) S D Shallard* 1901
98 State railways for Ireland| Clement Edwards* 1899
99 Local government in Ireland| C R Allen, junior* 1900
100 Metropolitan Borough Councils|: their powers and duties Henry W Macrosty* 1900
101 The house famine and how to relieve it| Clement Edwards, Constance Cochrane, Edward Bowmaker, Mrs R C Phillimore, W Thompson, H C Lander, F Lawson Dodd and Sidney Webb 1900
102 Questions for candidates: Metropolitan Borough Councillors| H W Macrosty* 1900
103 Overcrowding in London and its remedy|. A speech on the second reading of the government "Bill for Amending the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, part III", 10 May 1900 W C Steadman 1900
104 How trade unions benefit workmen| (proof) Edward R Pease* [1900]
105 Five years' fruits of the Parish Councils Act| Sidney Webb* 1901
106 The education muddle and the way out|: a constructive criticism of English educational machinery Sidney Webb* 1901
107 Socialism for millionaires| George Bernard Shaw 1901
108 Twentieth century politics: a policy of national efficiency|  Sidney Webb 1901


* The authors marked by an asterisk are taken from the list of tracts in "The history of the Fabian Society" by Edward Pease (2nd edition, 1925). Pease notes that such tracts were adopted and probably amended by the Society, and were issued without the author's name.

Quick links

LSE Digital Library logo|

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fabian Tracts

 

Why are the many poor (cover of tract 1)

 

Family life on a pound a week (cover of tract 162)

 

Equality, liberty, fraternity (cover of tract 152)

 

Thomas Paine (cover of tract 217)

 

The Fabian turtle (from tract 251)

 

More socialisation or less (cover of tract 268)

 

Beatrice and Sidney Webb (cover of tract 297)

 

Dwell together in unity (cover of tract 313)

 

The new right (cover of tract 387) 

 

The politics of the environment (cover of tract 412)

 

The computer and society, Fabian Tract 457

 

Information age government (cover of Fabian Tract 582)