Branch Affiliations
War on Want
A letter from Victor Gollancz to The Guardian in February 1951 led to the founding of War on Want.
His letter asked people to join an international struggle against poverty. Harold Wilson coined the name. The result was the birth of a movement that has been at the forefront of the fight against injustice ever since.
Gollancz's letter to the Guardian called for a negotiated end to the Korean war and the creation of an international fund 'to turn swords into ploughshares.' All those in support were to send a postcard to Gollancz with the simple word 'yes'. He received 5000 replies. The Association for World Peace was formed in March 1951 and in May it invited Harold Wilson to chair a committee and write a pamphlet. This was 'War on Want - a Plan for World Development', published on 9 June 1952.
War on Want was and still is at the forefront of many of the debates around the developing world issues.
- In 1961 War on Want raised concerns about 'third world' debt.
- In the 1970s War on Want helped expose the scandal of baby foods companies marketing powdered milk to mothers in the developing worldthat was a more dangerous and expensive option than breast milk.
- War on Want was instrumental in campaigning for workers' rights on tea plantations and supported the South African struggle against apartheid.
- The 1980s War on Want embarked on ground-breaking campaigns on the role of women in the developing world and continued to support the liberation movements in Eritrea, South Africa and Western Sahara.
- The 1990s focused on the need to respond to issues raised by globalisation.
War on Want:
www.waronwant.org