Editing William Morris (section)

=== Socialist League: 1884–1889 ===
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| image1 = Socialist League Manifesto 1885.jpg
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| footer = Left: the cover of the Socialist League's manifesto of 1885 featured art by Morris. Right: detail of ''Woodpecker'' tapestry, 1885.
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In December 1884, Morris founded the [[Socialist League (UK, 1885)|Socialist League]] (SL) with other SDF defectors.{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1pp=131–132, 140|2a1=Thompson|2y=1955|2p=366|3a1=MacCarthy|3y=1994|3p=504}} He composed the SL's manifesto with Bax, describing their position as that of "Revolutionary International Socialism", advocating [[proletarian internationalism]] and [[world revolution]] while rejecting the concept of [[Socialism in One Country|socialism in one country]].{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1p=140|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=504–505}} In this, he committed himself to "making Socialists" by educating, organising, and agitating to establish a strong socialist movement; calling on activists to boycott elections, he hoped that socialists would take part in a [[proletariat revolution]] and help to establish a [[socialism|socialist society]].{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|p=532}} Bax taught Morris more about [[Marxism]], and introduced him to Marx's collaborator, [[Friedrich Engels]]; Engels thought Morris honest but lacking in practical skills to aid the proletarian revolution.{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|pp=506–507, 509}} Morris remained in contact with other sectors of London's leftist community, being a regular at the socialist [[International Club]] in [[Shoreditch]], [[East London]],{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|p=541}} however he avoided the recently created [[Fabian Society]], deeming it too middle-class.{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|p=510}} Although a Marxist, he befriended prominent anarchist activists Stepniak and [[Peter Kropotkin]],{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|pp=543–545}}<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kropotkin |first=P. |title=In Memory of William Morris |magazine=Freedom pamphlets |date=Nov 1896 |volume=10 |number=110}}</ref> and came to be influenced by their anarchist views, to the extent that biographer Fiona MacCarthy described his approach as being "Marxism with visionary libertarianism".{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|p=509}}
[[File:News From Nowhere.jpg|thumb|340x340px|William Morris, ''News from Nowhere: Or, an Epoch of Rest'' (London: [[Kelmscott Press]], 1892); [[Pequot Library]] Special Collections]]
As the leading figure in the League, Morris embarked on a series of speeches and talks on street corners, in [[working men's club]]s, and in lecture theatres across England and Scotland.{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|pp=510, 520}} He also visited [[Dublin]], there offering his support for [[Irish nationalism]],{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1pp=156–157|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=540–541}} and formed a branch of the League at his Hammersmith house.{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|p=217}} By the time of their first conference in July 1885, the League had eight branches across England and had affiliations with several socialist groups in Scotland.{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|p=524}} However, as the British socialist movement grew it faced increased opposition from the establishment, with police frequently arresting and intimidating activists. To combat this, the League joined a Defence Club with other socialist groups, including the SDF, for which Morris was appointed treasurer.{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|pp=526–530}} Morris was passionate in denouncing the "bullying and hectoring" that he felt socialists faced from the police, and on one occasion was arrested himself after fighting back against a police officer; a magistrate dismissed the charges.{{sfnm|1a1=Vallance|1y=1897|1p=1|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=527–528}} The [[West End Riots|Black Monday riots of February 1886]] led to increased political repression against left-wing agitators, and in July Morris was again arrested and fined for public obstruction while preaching socialism on the streets.{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1pp=151–153, 161, 190–191|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=533–538}}

Morris oversaw production of the League's monthly—soon to become weekly—newspaper, ''[[Commonweal (UK)|Commonweal]]'', serving as its editor for six years, during which time he kept it financially afloat. First published in February 1885, it would contain contributions from such prominent socialists as Engels, Shaw, [[Paul Lafargue]], [[Wilhelm Liebknecht]], and [[Karl Kautsky]], with Morris also regularly writing articles and poems for it.{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1p=139|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=504, 511–514}} In ''Commonweal'' he [[Serial (literature)|serialised]] a 13-episode poem, ''[[The Pilgrims of Hope]]'', which was set in the period of the Paris Commune.{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|p=512}} From November 1886 to January 1887, Morris's novel ''[[A Dream of John Ball]]'' was serialised in ''Commonweal''. Set in Kent during the [[Peasants' Revolt]] of 1381, it contained strong socialist themes, although it proved popular among those of different ideological viewpoints, resulting in its publication in book form by [[Reeves and Turner]] in 1888.{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1pp=168, 205|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=546–549}} Shortly after, a collection of Morris's essays, ''Signs of Change'', was published.{{sfn|Mackail|1899|p=205}}

{{Quote box|width=25em|align=right|quote=Our business&nbsp;[...] is the making of Socialists, ''i.e.'' convincing people that Socialism is good for them and is possible. When we have enough people of that way of thinking, ''they'' will find out what action is necessary for putting their principles in practice. Therefore, I say, make Socialists. We Socialists can do nothing else that is useful."|source=— William Morris{{sfn|Mackail|1899|p=236}} }}

From January to October 1890, Morris serialised his novel ''[[News from Nowhere]]'' in ''Commonweal'', resulting in improved circulation for the paper. In March 1891 it was published in book form, before being translated into Dutch, French, Swedish, German and Italian by 1900 and becoming a classic among Europe's socialist community.{{sfn|Holland|2015}} Combining [[utopian socialism]] and [[soft science fiction]], the book tells the tale of a contemporary socialist, William Guest, who falls asleep and awakens in the early 21st century, discovering a future society based on [[common ownership]] and democratic control of the [[means of production]]. In this society there is no [[private property]], no big cities, no authority, no monetary system, no divorce, no courts, no prisons, and no class systems; it was a depiction of Morris's ideal socialist society.{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1pp=243–244|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=583–588}}

Morris had also continued with his translation work; in April 1887, Reeves and Turner published the first volume of Morris's translation of [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'', with the second following in November.{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1pp=164, 180–181 |2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=562–564}} Venturing into new territory, Morris also authored and starred in a play ''The Tables Turned; Or Nupkins Awakened'', which was performed at a League meeting in November 1887. It told the story of socialists who are put on trial in front of a corrupt judge; the tale ends with the prisoners being freed by a proletariat revolution.{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1pp=187–190|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=564–566}} In June 1889, Morris travelled to [[Paris]] as the League's delegate to the [[International Workers Congresses of Paris, 1889|International Socialist Working Men's Congress]], where his international standing was recognised by his being chosen as English spokesman by the Congress committee. The [[Second International]] emerged from the Congress, although Morris was distraught at its chaotic and disorganised proceedings.{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1p=223|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=579–580}}

At the League's Fourth Conference in May 1888, factional divisions became increasingly apparent between Morris's anti-parliamentary socialists, the parliamentary socialists, and the [[Anti-statism|anti-statist]] anarchists; the Bloomsbury Branch were expelled for supporting parliamentary action.{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|pp=576–577}} Under the leadership of [[Charles Mowbray]], the League's anarchist wing was growing and called on the League to embrace [[Propaganda of the deed|violent action]] in trying to overthrow the capitalist system.{{sfn|MacCarthy|1994|pp=577–578}} By autumn 1889 the anarchists had taken over the League's executive committee and Morris was stripped of the editorship of ''Commonweal'' in favour of the anarchist [[Frank Kitz]].{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1p=230|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=580–581}} This alienated Morris from the League, which had also become a financial burden for him; he had been subsidising its activities with £500 a year, a very large sum of money at the time.{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1p=231|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2pp=581}} By the autumn of 1890, Morris left the Socialist League, with his Hammersmith branch seceding to become the independent Hammersmith Socialist Society in November 1890.{{sfnm|1a1=Mackail|1y=1899|1pp=238–239|2a1=MacCarthy|2y=1994|2p=583}}