As the crisis of capitalism spread around the world, the working class took centre stage – but the revolt did not result in successful revolution anywhere.

The long sleep of the post-war period was brought to an end in 1968, as revolts erupted across the developed world.

Brexit, the British vote to leave the European Union, has thrown the political elites into turmoil and confusion. The referendum was supposed to be a safe political manoeuvre, a way to produce an appe...