''Controversy: The Monthly Socialist Forum'' was a British monthly magazine published by the Independent Labour Party from 1932 to 1950. The magazine originated as the internal bulletin of the party, but from 1936 onwards it branched out to reach a wider left-leaning readership. In 1939 the magazine changed its name to ''Left Forum'' and then to ''Left''. The magazine published contributions not only from members of the Independent Labour Party, but also from members of the

Communist Party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A ...

and the Labour Party, as well as individuals who belonged to no political party. Among its international contributors were Franz Borkenau, Max Eastman,

Paul Frölich Paul Frölich (7 August 1884 – 16 March 1953) was a German journalist and left-wing political activist and author, a founding member of the Communist Party of Germany and founder of the party's paper, ''Die Rote Fahne.'' A Communist Party deputy ...

Julián Gorkin Julián Gómez García-Ribera, better known as Julián Gorkin (January 1901, Benifairó de les Valls – 8 August 1987, Paris) was a Spanish revolutionary socialist, writer and a central leader of the Workers' Party of Marxist Unification (POU ...

Sidney Hook Sidney Hook (December 20, 1902 – July 12, 1989) was an American philosopher of pragmatism known for his contributions to the philosophy of history, the philosophy of education, political theory, and ethics. After embracing communism in his youth ...

Jomo Kenyatta Jomo Kenyatta (22 August 1978) was a Kenyan anti-colonial activist and politician who governed Kenya as its Prime Minister from 1963 to 1964 and then as its first President from 1964 to his death in 1978. He was the country's first indigenous ...

, Jay Lovestone, George Padmore, Marceau Pivert, Victor Serge, August Thalheimer,

Bernard Wolfe Bernard Wolfe (New Haven, Connecticut, August 28, 1915 – Calabasas, California, October 27, 1985) was an American writer. Biography Wolfe entered Yale University at 16 and graduated in 1935 with a degree in psychology. He then enrolled for ...

and

Simone Weil Simone Adolphine Weil ( , ; 3 February 1909 – 24 August 1943) was a French philosopher, mystic, and political activist. Over 2,500 scholarly works have been published about her, including close analyses and readings of her work, since 1995. ...

. The first editor of ''Controversy'' was the school teacher, and later Independent Labour Party chairman,

C. A. Smith Charles Andrew Smith Military Medal, MM (1895 – 1984) known as C. A. Smith, was an English people, English politician who held prominent positions in several minor parties. Born in Bishop Auckland, Smith studied at the University of Durham an ...

. According to historian

Raymond Challinor Raymond Corrick "Ray" Challinor (9 July 1929 – 30 January 2011) was a Marxist historian of the British labour movement. Early life and education Challinor was born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Both of his parents were political activis ...

, Smith played a pivotal role in turning ''Controversy'' into a publication where "the many diverse views held within the working-class movement could be openly discussed without rancour." After Smith the magazine was edited by Jon Evans together with George Padmore and then later by R. E. Fitzgerald.

References

1932 establishments in England 1950 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct political magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines established in 1932 Magazines disestablished in 1950 Socialist magazines {{italic title