The Making of the English Working Class (E.P. Thompson)

E.P. Thompson's "The Making of the English Working Class" is a seminal work in social history that explores the development of the British working class during the industrial revolution (late 18th to early 19th century). Thompson examines how ordinary people formed a collective identity through shared experiences, struggles, and emergent political consciousness, especially in response to industrialization and social change. He emphasizes the importance of culture and agency, illustrating how the working class actively shaped their own history, rather than being mere victims of economic forces. This work profoundly influenced labor history and social movements in the 20th century.