Rita Hinden (16 January 1909 – 18 November 1971) was a South African

social democratic Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...

activist. Born near

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

as Rebecca Gesundheit, she was always known as "Rita". When she was three years old, her family's ostrich farm failed, and they moved into Cape Town itself. There, she attended the Seminary of Good Hope, while being educated in Jewish culture and faith by her father. She attended the

University of Cape Town The University of Cape Town (UCT) (, ) is a public university, public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1829 as the South African College, it was granted full university status in 1918, making it the oldest univer ...

for a year, then her family migrated to

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

, the first South African Jews to do so. However, there was no opportunity for her to study in Palestine, so she moved to England, where she attended the

University of Liverpool The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL) is a Public university, public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded in 1881 as University College Liverpool, Victoria University (United Kingdom), Victoria University, it received Ro ...

for a further year, and then the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...

(LSE).Allan Flanders, "Hinden, Rita", ''Dictionary of Labour Biography'', vol.II, pp.179–182 In London, she met Elchon Hinden, a medical graduate, and the two married in February 1933. Although they briefly moved back to Palestine, they soon returned to London so Elchon could undertake further study, and the couple became active in the

Independent Labour Party The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberal Party (UK), Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse work ...

. Rita also continued to study, working on a doctorate at the LSE under

David Horowitz David Joel Horowitz (January 10, 1939 – April 29, 2025) was an American conservative writer and activist. He was a founder and president of the David Horowitz Freedom Center (DHFC); editor of the Center's website '' FrontPage Magazine''; and ...

. The couple moved to Palestine again in 1935, where they became active in the

Labour Zionist Labor Zionism () or socialist Zionism () is the left-wing, socialist variant of Zionism. For many years, it was the most significant tendency among Zionists and Zionist organizations, and was seen as the Zionist faction of the historic Jewish ...

movement, but became disillusioned with the rising nationalism and also Elchon's difficulties in finding suitable employment. In 1938, they finally settled in England, and gradually became

agnostic Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, the divine, or the supernatural is either unknowable in principle or unknown in fact. (page 56 in 1967 edition) It can also mean an apathy towards such religious belief and refer to ...

, although they remained involved in a variety of Jewish organisations. Rita joined the Labour Party and the

Fabian Society The Fabian Society () is a History of the socialist movement in the United Kingdom, British socialist organisation whose purpose is to advance the principles of social democracy and democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist effort in ...

. She obtained her doctorate in 1939 and, on the advice of R. R. Kuczynski, she founded the

Fabian Colonial Bureau Fabian may refer to: People * Fabian (name), including a list of people with the given name or surname * Pope Fabian (died 250), Catholic saint * Fabian Forte (born 1943), 1950s American teen idol, singer and actor, known by the mononym Fabian * ...

to research and campaign on

anti-colonialism Decolonization is the undoing of colonialism, the latter being the process whereby imperial nations establish and dominate foreign territories, often overseas. The meanings and applications of the term are disputed. Some scholars of decolon ...

. She became the bureau's first secretary, and worked closely with

Arthur Creech Jones Arthur Creech Jones (15 May 1891 – 23 October 1964) was a British trade union official and politician. Originally a civil servant, his imprisonment as a conscientious objector during the First World War forced him to change careers. He was e ...

, its first chair. They produced numerous pamphlets, and Hinden's own book, ''Plan for Africa''. Although she stood down as secretary in 1950, she continued to write for it, while also serving on a variety of government committees. She became the secretary of the Socialist Union and editor of ''

Socialist Commentary Socialism is an economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes the economic, political, and social ...

'', bodies associated with the Labour Party and particularly with

Hugh Gaitskell Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell (9 April 1906 – 18 January 1963) was a British politician who was Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition from 1955 until ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hinden, Rita 1909 births 1971 deaths Alumni of the London School of Economics University of Cape Town alumni Alumni of the University of Liverpool Labour Party (UK) people Members of the Fabian Society Activists from Cape Town South African emigrants to Israel South African emigrants to the United Kingdom South African Jews South African Zionists