Public Spheres

Dutch and British communist families were connected with the outside world in many ways. They encountered non-communists at work, in school, in their neighbourhood, and through friends and extended family. Because the Dutch and British communist parties were so small, rank-and-file communists couldn’t live in a self-sufficient bubble and had to interact and get along with people who did not agree with their political ideas. Based on a series of interviews with 38 British and Dutch cradle communists who participated in an oral history project about communist family life, this chapter analyses the issues that arose in the context of these interactions. It discusses participants’ experiences in non-communist surroundings, such as their neighbourhood, school, and workplace, and explores their friendships and romantic relationships.