One of the classic texts of Marxist thought, a vitally important political, social and historical document, written out of a deep humanity and with great analytic skill.
It was the Industrial transformation of the early nineteenth century that created the English proletariat; it was their appalling suffering that led to the emergence, despite implacable opposition, of the early labour movements. Engels paints an unforgettable picture of daily life in the new industrial towns and for the miners and agricultural workers - a horrifying picture of overcrowded and abject poverty, child labour, sexual exploitation, dirt and drunkenness - which constitutes a savage indictment of the greed and hypocrisy of the bourgeoisie.