Conducts research and collects data on the global history of labour, workers, and labour relations

Little Moscow in Wales

18 September 1927
Miners March to London 1927
Source: 
BG D15/643

Miners from South Wales marched to London to draw atttention to 'the chronic destitution affecting unemployed and employed miners arising out of the failure of private enterprise in the mining industry'.

Many Welsh miners lived in communist strongholds. These red communities in western Europe were commonly nicknamed 'Little Moscow'.

Some examples of small-place communism are Mardy in Wales, Sallaumines and Villerupt in France, Penzberg in Germany, Lumphinnans in Scotland and Finsterwolde in the Netherlands.

A comparative study of these 'Little Moscows' by Ad Knotter was published in the International Review of Social History vol 56 part 3 (2011).