The Naked Socialist is an autobiographical work documenting a year in my life (the year from March 2022). This work records my day to day progress as a socialist, in hardship, under capitalism, and uses various dimensions of lived experience to illustrate what I think that – and what socialism – means.

Publication began in March 2022 with a very small readership to date.

The work has three elements : a more or less contemporaneous journal in which the main events of each day are recorded with one or two notes regarding events, persons and places, and my thoughts and feelings; a series of weekly statements monitoring my personal situation (e.g. health; occupational status; financial position etc); and a collection of essays on work and life comparing my case with ideal types and real world examples for different classes (under capitalism) and homo sapiens (under socialism).

Like Regional Rides, the work is also, in part, a response to circumstances. I have been out of (paid) work, claiming Universal Credit, and a tenant in private rented accommodation since well before the COVID-19 pandemic. I had been working as an organiser inside and outside of a political party (Green Party of England and Wales) until stepping back earlier in the year. I keep a record of each day with pen and paper, publishing on the website (using WordPress) as soon afterwards as I can manage. Accounts are anonymised with an effort made not to reveal anything personal about other persons except where it is of public interest (or where consent has been given). Statements are produced weekly, and essays periodically.

The journal and statements can be found here. The essays will be produced in due course.

Accompanying collections of artwork and photographs can be viewed in the Gallery.

© JONATHAN OATES 2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED