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Laski, Harold 1893-1950

Archival location guide — where this economist’s surviving papers are held, their notable correspondents, and key published sources.

Portrait of Laski, Harold 1893-1950

Born 1893 · died 1950

Harold Joseph Laski was an English political theorist and economist. He was active in politics and served as the chairman of the British Labour Party from 1945 to 1946 and was a professor at the London School of Economics from 1926 to 1950. He first promoted pluralism by emphasising the importance of local voluntary communities such as trade unions. After 1930, he began to emphasize the need for a workers' revolution, which he hinted might be violent. Laski's position angered Labour leaders who promised a nonviolent democratic transformation. Laski's position on democracy-threatening violence came under further attack from Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the 1945 UK general election, and the Labour Party had to disavow Laski, its own chairman.

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Where the papers are held

The surviving papers of Laski, Harold 1893-1950 are held at National Library of Wales; International Institute of Social History; University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.

Holding institution(s) sourced from Wikidata — confirm current location and access arrangements with the archive before visiting.

Cite this entry

Laski, Harold 1893-1950. “Archival papers.” Economists’ Papers, https://www.economistspapers.org.uk/laski-harold-1893-1950/ (accessed 17 Jun 2026).