Harry Young (28 February 1901 – 1995) was aBritish socialist activist.
Born inStoke Newington, Young attended a socialist Sunday school inIslington. He worked in a large number of jobs and, at various times, joined the Herald League, theBritish Socialist Party (BSP), and theIndustrial Workers of the World, while still a teenager. Inspired by theOctober Revolution, he joined theCommunist Party of Great Britain soon after its foundation, in 1920. He was soon appointed as national organiser of its associatedYoung Communist League (YCL), and in 1921 became the youngest member of the party's executive committee. The following year, he was appointed as the YCL's representative in Moscow, attending the Fourth Congress of theComintern. On returning to the UK, he served as editor of the English language edition ofCommunist International, and then as manager of theCollets Bookshop onCharing Cross Road.[1][2]
In 1937, Young resigned from the CPGB, unhappy that he felt it would uncritically follow all Soviet policies, and became a taxi driver. In 1940, he instead joined theSocialist Party of Great Britain (SPGB). He was aconscientious objector duringWorld War II, serving instead as an ambulance driver in London.[1][2]
After the war, Young became a regular speaker atSpeakers' Corner, and he wrote a column for theSocialist Standard under the pen name of "Horatio". He stood for the party inEast Ham South at the1950 general election, taking 0.7% of the vote. He retrained as a science teacher, becoming active in theNational Association of Schoolmasters.[1][2]
Young remained active in the SPGB in his retirement, serving on its executive committee for several years. In 1991, he was part of theSocialist Studies split.[1][2] In 1994, he obtained a degree in science from theOpen University, becoming its oldest graduate that year.[3] He died the following year.[1]
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