The Fight for Rent Control - by Paul Q Watchman (Hardcover)

About the Book

An important socio-legal study of the Glasgow Rent Strikes of 1915 and the introduction of urban rent control.

Book Synopsis

This monograph looks at the various strands of policy and activities which produced the first residential Rent Act in 1915. It looks at the ways in which tenants were removed from the land in Ireland and Scotland leading to a strong aversion to landlords as a group. This is addressed in the way it appears in art, literature, song and poetry. It traces the ways in which actions of women-led tenants' groups before and during the First World War offered an alternative way for housing policy. Precisely how these actions linked with political and industrial forces are explored. The study concludes with how this legislation links with modern day housing policy issues.

Review Quotes

The Clydeside Rent strikes have been written about extensively, yet Paul Watchman brings a fresh perspective and vision to this important struggle. He deploys his legal expertise, and keen grasp of the social and political context to provide a comprehensive and nuanced account of the origins, course and consequences of the strikes. He writes with clarity and verve and his discussions of the cultural constructions of landlordism in popular culture and of the cultural and artistic legacies of the strikes are innovative and welcome.--Eleanor Gordon, University of Glasgow

For those who are interested in women's contribution to the neglected area of property law history, this fascinating book offers a valuable account of the role of women in the radical fight for the Rent Acts'.--Rosemary Auchmuty, University of Reading

Paul Watchman's compelling account of the introduction of rent controls in 1915 covers a wide range of issues that are central to modern history. Watchman combines meticulous archival research with an eye for the larger picture, and his book will interest anyone seeking to understand the significant transformations of British social, economic and political life in the early twentieth century.--Martin Daunton, University of Cambridge