This was touched on a socialist history seminar at the Institute of Historical Research on 28th September
I’m not sure Lenin used the term ‘miserabilism’ but the meaning of being against defeatism he certainly did expand on
The badge comes from the 1970s and was produced by the SWP for specific reasons that might also inspire some historical research at this distance (I was there but while I recall the badge, and have one somewhere, I have no recall of its specific purpose).
Given that the (non-Leninist) theme of the 2026 Labour Conference is ‘hope’ the badge sends a message to the less than hopeful John Healey.
Raymond Williams in Keywords notes that ‘hope’ is what those that think as a matter of political ideology things can never better oppose.
In terms of what Labour is up to Gramsci’s pessimism of the spirit optimism of the will might fit better. In other words doing something won’t be easy but it can be done. From below in my view
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