Rebel with a Cause: The Fiery Tale of Glasgow's 1915 Rent Strikes
The Regulations on Tenancy Rates and Landlord-Tenant Disputes
Peter Robson, the brainchild behind The Fight for Rent Control, has given us an insightful peek into the Glasgow Rent Strikes of 1915 — a fight for housing rights that has lasting resonance.
Dive Deeper
Stepping into the worn shoes of the Victorian era, we find ourselves in a world powered by authoritarian rule, strained by war, and choked by runaway rents. Jump ahead to 2025, and the world seemingly hasn't ventured far from this unstable landscape. Rising rents and the threat of eviction at a landlord's whim are ruthlessly commonplace. But how did we hustle back from the brink a hundred years ago?
The road to progress has been a rocky one, with a constant struggle between the march of social and political advancements and the dark forces clinging to the status quo. While the battlefield has shifted over the decades, the forces have ebbed and flowed like a tempestuous sea. And presently, prospects for tenants seem bleak, with the resurgence of simplistic populist politics all too familiar from the 1930s.
But where's the fire now, you ask? The clamour for change? The mass movements fighting for tenants' rights? The answer lies in understanding the differences that define today's world from the past.
A Tale of Two eras
In 1915, a staggering 90% of residential property in Britain belonged to private landlords. Fast-forward to 2025, and that figure drops dramatically to 19%. Add to that the shrinking influence of the trade union movement, and you have a drastically altered landscape for the ongoing battle over housing rights. The effect of World War I has yet to make its mark on Britain, but the pieces are ominously falling into place.
However, change is always within reach. So, how did a medley of women wield the power to effect lasting change in housing policy, a legacy that echoes in our present day?
:puppet_face: Puppeteers of Power
War broke out in 1915, and one of the uglier side effects was the insidious nature of the private profit system in the housing market. With the demand for properties near munitions factories skyrocketing, rents were pumped up, taxing the struggling families left behind while their husbands fought far from home. As people burned with resentment towards heartless landlords, resistance began to brew, finding its most potent expression in Glasgow. The pages of The Fight for Rent Control show us why this city served as a fertile breeding ground for effective direct action.
The root of this unrest lies in the long-standing animosity towards landlords among the working class. This trickles down from the forced emigration of tenants from the Highlands and Ireland, a history immortalized in the songs, paintings, and stories passed down through generations. The thousand-sorethumbed material conditions faced by the working-class residents of Glasgow compounded this resentment, creating the perfect breeding ground for organized resistance led by a network of determined women.
Rise of the Rebels
If we look closely at the actions of these women leading the rent strikes, we can see the power in resisting attempts to evict. While the ability to evict at will remains with landlords, the methods at the tenants' disposal have evolved dramatically over the years. In 1915, they had strong, tight-knit communities facing common struggles. Reliant on word of mouth, neighbours supported each other in blocking evictions and organizing protests.
When the government, in the form of Prime Minister Asquith, made concessions in the face of demonstrations and strikes, it offered a blueprint of sorts for future fights for housing rights. A modern battle for rent control and fair housing will most likely need to be fought through parliament, but the potential for widespread resistance, buoyed by modern technology, is undeniable.
Penning a Legacy: The Authors Behind the (R)evolution
Paul Watchman, a man with many strings to his bow, penned The Fight for Rent Control alongside Peter Robson. He began his career as a professional footballer, then moved on to academia as a public law specialist. After a stint in law firms in Edinburgh and London, he returned to his alma mater, the University of Glasgow, as a professor. Tragically, his life was cut short before he could see the full impact of his work.
Peter Robson, for his part, is a former Professor of Social and Welfare Law and a Judge in HM Courts and Tribunals Service. He carried on the final draft of Paul's groundbreaking book, ensuring that the legacy of the Glasgow Rent Strikes continues to inspire future generations.
Policy-and-legislation transformation and political agitation are key factors in the evolving landscape of tenant rights, as demonstrated by the historical Glasgow Rent Strikes of 1915 and ongoing battles for rent control in 2025. The shifting battlefield, influenced by populist politics, highlights the necessity for understanding the differences between the past and present eras to effect change in the arena of general-news and social-policy.
