What is a "Peoples' History"?

Reflections, and conversations with Brad Evans.

I’ve been thinking recently about the label “a peoples’ history”. On one level it is a marketing term, as are all literary categories when you get down to it, a phraseology that means publishers and retailers can deliver the punter/reader exactly what they’re looking for, no messing. And “a peoples’ history” designates a specific (in as much as these things are ever really specific) type of social history.

But the reason it’s been niggling at me is because I am suspicious of this particular label. It sounds like… dare I say it… middle class people condescending to “the working classes”. The people. The middle-class liberal left seem to have a very definite idea of what the people think and believe. This is why Brexit came as such a shock. “We thought we could count on the people.” Turns out “we” couldn’t. Perhaps the way to atone is to publish “a peoples” history”?