1 I
U*'xE* 5x
R.evoEuff$oxxm
e-ry
5Smgftm*aB-
$yrxd
Ee,a $Esnn
E me
1870* J"$F &O
This Unit ainns l:o: Outlime thr: social, econorr ic ancl political changes that toolr, place in Britilin round the turn of i.he last ce,ntury Exprlore the pnguments that tm*k plaoe within the'trade union movenren'l and the rise of 'ln'lgl*r Unlonisrn' Exannirre the factors in the 51r'oMh of the synclicali:st rnovernent
in
HriteLin
Explain iha riifferences of iepproach within lhr: syndicalist r]roverflen'. of the tinne"
Termsi amd abbreviations $nciefy: l\anned a'filera lRonruan general Fitbius fulaxinlLtri who,worl his r:almperrgns b5r siq5uv attrition. The Fahlans believeC that socialisrnr \Mas best amhir*r,ed by, pern"reatiqrn, graclually refunrni ir g,exititi ng nstitl1tr[o n s and th t ou gh r:o n stitr-rtional
F;lhiam
I
govmrnment rirthrer than thnoutrph n*volutlunary upheaual" SIIF: {5or:l,al Dernqrcratic Fedmrutimtt. F-ormed in 1884, itwas aluyltytg dominated hy itir founder. p4 61 l"drTndnran, a fonnelr inclependemt Tnr1r" fltr* stral:eg1y was barsed r:fl't a crTurie econor.lric determinisnr that saw the c:olXapse of capiturlilam as inevitable lrnd the best tflral, coL:ld be dlcrnel in the nreantim,s \vas to aEitate fol'palliative refc,nrns. Talff Vale,.frudgrmelnt: In 190'l the 1"aff Vale Rallvua,g Company sLrccessfully s;r;*d the A,mafigerm*ltecl Sr:ciety o' Ffailway servants that sup;rcrrteqj e[ strifiie. The judgnr*nt made any tnade union liehle forthe ar:tion of its ofticlals, vitumlly ui*stroyinE the right to etrike, {Comf id..,) [.]nit 5 , irnd Edir on - ?001
3'l
ILF: lndependent Labour Party" Fcrnred in Bradfotd in 1893 lvith t['re otlject of co-orcl rr;Lting the efforh qf trade r-rnisnm te gain pirrliamentary rerp rcs*ntatio n inc e grendent of L"ihr* nall s ultport. l-lR.C[: Laboun Rept'estentatlon Conrntitllee. The l[-P wrrs instrun"len'kLl, alorrg with the Fahians and the,lillF, in fornning thel LRfr in '1900. \i\lhen the LRC rad twenty-nine candida'les returneul as h4Ps rn tl'te 1{}06 Electisn tl"rmy rnrmediately :l'rpnged thein na rne to the L.ahourn FArty.
Sl-F: Socialist LahroHr Flafty. Fonn'tecl in Sccttland f"ottt ,SDF rJissidents in 1933, the SLP wr+l-e fi:llowers of Daflilel de l-"eon an Aprerican Marxist. They nan"re trr (;mbrace a thel:nl1that r;liange wpuld con:e thn:ugh indLrstnial unlclnlsm and pollticpl power gaintxl through electiors would t"ubher ritalmp the chmmges. lV[trl[: lndustrial Worl[ers of the Wcrrlcl. Arnerican symrlicalist ulrron formed n in '1$05. BA,IU: British Advncr*tes of lndustnial Unionisnt" Hutablished by the SN-P in 1900 as a propagandist onganisation" In 1S]0S it was reconstructed tc, include a dual-unlonist centre u'laler the tltle of lndustrial Wonkerrs Of Great Britiiin (IWGB) ILf DA: lndustria flJnion of Direct Actionists. An anflrc["to-synr!icalisl propaganda grcup formed in 19ii7 suppr:rting a iJu,El-uni*n approach.
Flehs l-eaEue: Fc,rnted [ry radical students and stetff at Ruskin College whr: werei unhappy with the paternalistic amcl anti-socialit;t leanings of'the ildpinistration. l\ftEr a strike thelr h,roke away anti 'ihe fqunded the ffiertral Labour College in London ir 1B(}8" 'to file as to filt; r*dpcate the rarnk atd olrjective of the League was pclsition power.' and his class econir{ric [sic]
32
Fasc"khmr RerreafE***] J" Jerirrin,qs. $vndic;alisnr irr Frmmc*1" fflanfilNillan 'lS${}. lS#Fd {[3SS 4?1ffi#.,$.
-il-
[-,*ft, s'inrpathetic; ap:proach giur,:s ;: fair-[1gocd irisight into t]re i.hink ng r:fl sq:nte key acti';ists in tl-t# ilr:iT, hoth r"eforn sts and revolr:ti,i:naries. De"tails the spNits nnri a16ues thr*t the r*rroiutionary inffluqlnoE in the CGT h:ad gone bV lf)(!8 (,,,rhich is not Lrorne out ny c*lrteirn prurrlry ilccc uilts
).
F. F. Fti+Jley. Revnlutionrany $yriu$il*;lii*nr in Frmnce, Oambnidg* [.!niv fr]r. 'l*]tr$. trStsf,] 0]S2"{ fi?9$,fl,$ -L-1" Lil-isri:n nrxadenric appnoach iar6=ly tJlsl.nissive of the CGT. llla*t'e rtheless ar;cessible with son"lsr ilrielf'r:i backgroLlnrl ccnrnrentary. H."
ffi, ,&mtJersun. Franu:e 18Tft-flSfl,4" Fflmutflealge- Ke,egan, Paul,
$trfl?. lSmNI S?t0 085753. -LlOoncenf.r:tes oil poliiir;irl e",rent's raliher than the vL'or[ers' l''l-lr]vtilrrt#rrts c:f tl're c{}T, hui gives s*rr+ use'tul back-qr.ound. P. ffit+rpe,*tlsim. "['he Crruat Frenuh ffiarrff[Ntimrs. Hlephant Edltimns ? vmlu'm*sl - fr4.$S eac[r. -AK'T'hioulgh not c*uenir'rg the p6]t"iorl cf this unit, Ki-op,otikiir's semina:i lvork ils i,rn excellent eLc;count of thls e;lrlier p*riod in Frerch history.
L. ffimmh&me" Rievoluti,un or Refurm'lisrm. F?e+d L-ion Prcss p*aun:hiet. f'8.5S. -ltK{ltrntres un t[re {]G l- anrj argLr$: that it retained it* owr: branct *t rmunlutir:nalry syndica isln after \,V*rlej W,*r 1.
,Anl,rlur - Syndicalist Legaey" lsil}hi fliz5H 0{238S. ^[_l*SF14. h",
Jniv. lllinols
Fs'ess, f gS6.
,A,cndemic, very rj,i.rtailei aill:r)Llnt cr:ntrer] *n the CGT in two F-r*n,:['r citir.".ri during \Vorld War 1. ,4.r1;ur:*s ihtit re'r*iuti*nary inflLieln:c*
in thE: {lGT e:dendetl e ven beynird 'tr $1 {J, cr:ntnary to nrany tclrr g:o rnry writers arrc] cther l't isimriil ns.
cr:r n
ffiarlir*l ffiuerim ied), llio Got{s N* fiJ'lastisrm ffimok Ome,, l[K Press. t$ffihi f ffi?fl't7&s43" f:{1i.s5. -AF"f; x*u"l ent mew tr n t iir:iogy wh r;h ;*li er:ts collieft il orary nlatr: rial frnm thr* period, ini:lu:ling lois r"rf p[e',i'i()t.lrily Lrili-rLlbllsl-r*d works. Aisa, r:{'J:aniinL:iar rolevancr:1o this Unilt, J-L Findy, C"de Pa,=pe & A.$i i: I r,vitagu6br:i -'D i rect Act ion n nd l- i hertat'ia n Cons u ricti,:n l
i
1
f,-u relr.r h aclrrwr;d'
/u
[}iqmiel Guerir: (md], fiim i}*d.s Nm Mlasters Bcr*k T'wr;, AK Pness" f;sBru 1873X7{i6$}4. tr$ "fi,i}S, ."AKFart 2 erf Gueriri's n:arnnrolh eLrt[-:oiogy, nrc,xtly rJealing wiih tl^e earriy'20tn Centr;ry" flontains vaiuirlrle exlracts frs:[r"r uonternrprol"sry ac:counr.s of CGI rccrtivists F.Pel!ou'[ier, E"Pouget, & P"Deiqnsall* - 'The French Anarr:hiets ill the T.iatle L,ln ons'). Anare l'ro-*ynciir:alist politir;s arrC strategy as it hiapperned
- highly leconrnrended.
E. isataud & H" Prru6et. l"[mw StleLNtr 'We BninE Ahuau,t Tl.r* Revolut[on. $]laift: Frness. t$Bfq I$Jt30S0",72" fi$.{}ti. -AK-E$Utrrpl;rn firiion of t['re 'how it rrrigl-rt have be*n' tyrpe. Rr:volutionary'rilntnt-]c*r by 2 French ;ii-rarcho-syrtdir;n{ists wr-itten in l!r0g and bas*d n-r real events in l:larnce and the {}(liT. Notes: The furlhen readinE outlinell is not designed tu be an exhauslive bitrliography or a preslriptive lisl. lt is deliigned to provide sonre pointers lor the rerrderwho is interesl-=d in laking tl-retopics raised in this Unitfuqrther. ln fldditon to the above, it is alwuys worth consulting your local librany fcir general hislory terts rrilrich do coverthe periori, although they invariably r-rnderstale the level nf workirig clarss organisalion anrl artivity. To ;rssist Course l\4enrbers, lin indication is giver alerngside each refererce as 1o how best to ohdain itr. The co.ies are as {clllows: Lltry libraries (from loca to university), AK- available lronr,4K lislribLrtion (Course I\4t>mber discount scht:me applies if yor: crder through SelfHc, Fn Box 29, SW P[)O, ]\4anchester [,41 5 5HW), BS- try good bookshops, -SE ask SelfEd ahout loarns or offprinls).
3ft
In*ersdum*E*,re [,init 4 war:, ccnr;einerj r,,uith h*w aflarchisnl deve olred within ihe [:::leltr:h wurkers' fitovr:i nlent as fi prffio -] rilmr tc: a n :ii'cir o -s,,1 nt* ica iisrn. l''1ere*, we turn tsl il'rr: c:ontirruilrg everii* ln Britain, wher,= $imilar ideas 'l-he wnrfl-:jr I.)r.it into prulctir:e irl tlre first ye;ers; of,'the Z(iili Centu'y. e.urly
i:f anan:hr.:-syndrcallsmi ,,rrrIietJ fnr:ru'i countryr to countr5r" r:c"lrurfion thnead wais thna+., althuLlg;ir afiarchisnr enlerged as a ,;r)h#'-ii,r'+ s*t *f ideas,'tile actions r,r,rhi:h or:curi"ecl iis a result wei-e
,;f
r-.,u,r*l*;.iiarent
#ne
au:iapt*ti ;:nd r,ierrelop,=d in prac;tir:al re ality, acunrtJingT 1D lccal cctnrjiii*nu. 5io, anare;l-rrl-syndir:alisnl r":liq not efttflrge cLs ,a rigid iheoi'y rriith ;r riinEle lrh:e[:r-in'i'fr:r changei tr: be ;lpftli*d r*gai'die:;s r>f currrnt erfl,rnoflitiu l:ilntlitiorrs. []ri the cor]trritr\, if developeci out of prar;ticai ie;.'tlity, wittr nurneruuir e ver-changing li:l*tics, and basr:C on a set rrf
basic
princil:,:,l,es.
Bm,gkgx.ourrex# V,lhr:n ihe Britisl-r iaborLr llrovel"lrnnl split in fuvo rJ-rring the nldhiite "91h ilenturry thele r*ntained thc:sr tr,r,rho cnntinuec tct arg;ue th*:'L workars shr:ruid ooncerntrate on hninglng ahout politicaN criange as o plr+:iuctrl
to eucl"rolriic rlh,anSe"
l-l'ierse: 1:*,:lpie
aim*d tr: establlsh
a
:r**irii*t fiovernrflft['i'i, ,ru!ich woul*J then Iaker the econoniy rnto puhli* ewn(r[$hip^ Thlti wusthe appl.oar;h that t+yeln'LuaN[y {eti to the $sia[rlishmrer:t of the l-apour Farl.v. i]n tl"re other nancl, tilere emerged it !i"rlr,"r[r wh': spul-ned the id+n of glol[1- uill nefclrnl. Ihe:l+ preoi;tre pr:intecl *irt ti'rat,uvori(r:l-si could nt:lt tnL.x;{ 67ov*rnmenis to [:rring abcrut
lnstmad, threy lrgeci wori..ers tr: r:r ganise then:sE*lves to cl:n{.lont mpitailgnr dir.er:tly: tfris w*ulq: lF;rad to thel ovel'thrror,v c,f c;april.,rlisrn and the e:rt*blishrnepll axf ;l r*eciallst soclety ]-he Bntisl"l wcr{er-s' moveffifiin1 mf ihe lSth Llenturt was sharprer-i hy firartis*r'n srlri its eve.ntual failurm tsrei Unlt2). i-hs Liri,wnfail of {lh;rr"[isrn r,'r;as {'ollowc+d by 60 year* iif s't*:nr1y grorrutt'r irr trade unir:rrrispr"r. Thel for-n'i of thi* trade unin'ligl"ti hnd lilile to clo rnith the f*rvoiutir:naiy irieas thr;tt 1/\lere pr*d$ent anr$ng the Li;driites or ihe cJir+t:[ n*ti*rtisi't Cij-lartirtts" [he aim n[' thE' nraimly s)raft-haite{-j 'tracle r-ininrrs;,'whicl-l iJilt*rl hatk tc-, the mir:l-t {itt: C*niur,,i, $!rits respe(:tah,iiitir c;hanr,;e-r"
within the es;tablished order, They did not seek to change s!'stpm, but to find a nole withln it. Llnions sought tr: ploftmy
thier
ttrentselves as sot)er insurance sor:ieties whose affair,s were business-like ancl entirely respectairle. lmproverllent{$ in condltions wsre to hre achievred through industri;rl conciliation and union recognition through legal changes forced on capitalism by parliamentary lobhyirlg" '"|'he great rnass r:f unskilled'workers and wln:ren toiling in swetated worksho:s were not orgernirped and were largely ignored by the 'aristocratic' cr;1aft workers so tfiat up until the 1tl80s, there were n() perrnanent estublished unions trbr unskilled
wlrkers. By the 1870s it seenred that the craft unions' reformist strategly wirs making sorne g;ains. The seconqJ Trade Uniorl Congre$s held in Bimtingham in 18(i.9 claimed to re6rresent some 25),000 wr:rkers. Tlre campaign to lviq overthe ruling r;lass to the idt*m that there wasi a place for sober and r,esponsihle trede unions within spciety was nreeting with seirn*: succe$s. ln 1871, the Trade Urrio,n A,ct was inLrcduced, which geqve unions parlial legal recogni'Lion" At the third "trelde Union Corgress in 1871 a "Parliamenl.ary C,:rnnrittee" was set up to lobby MPs. This was to be the final push forfprli recognition fr:i trade unions, lt was hoped that:, thnough betterr lobbying of Parliarnent, the 1825 TratJe l-lnion Act that still left uniorrs otrrcrr to criminal p-oslecutiotr, coulcl be overturned, griunting thenr full legal status. The rqrliam*ntary Cr:mmittee nret wi:h irnnredlate success. In 1871, Robed Applegaftl became the f irst tnade union
Ieader appointed tc il Royal Conrn'rission and the 1874 general election returned the two ntiners' kiaders McDonal<l and BLlrl to Pirrlianrent as Libelrall MFs. The extent t,: uyhich the TUC were concern#.1 \,l{ith the plight of urrsliilled workers n general, anci vroluen workers itr plarticulan, can be! gttu5;ed by the fas: that when nriddle.rclass worrlen tried to voice the, grierlances of the,rvqrking women :heiy yy6is atterii;tting to organise, they were thrown r:uf of the '1870 aLnnual conferenae, Bnoadhurst, the Liberal MP and ie:ld*r of the Padiernrentary Conrntittee, argued ag;ainst the wisdorn of sending won.râ&#x201A;Źlr-r to Congressr "..becau,sfi, u#cler, the influence of ernotion, they migttt tgate far fhllrps fhr:.y watild rcgri..t in ctiufer momentsl'. The unions urere instrumentirl in bringing abcut the notion of a 'falniily wage', whit:h sought to imitiat+ a nriddle-clasis l-nodel of family
:lild f"]conorTrlcs. [his rxotit]l [-,i(]t]'tr)t#d as hâ&#x201A;Źari of the fanii!_V ;: rnilrl*'hr'#fldwinner'v,,r no h.ep:t his \,4/ifo ;]Ln'[ t:lf Ltr,: u+ronl,;place ar]d ifl ihe h+nre. [Jnir;nsr ;:rrrrnc,tlrrgl tl"ris fonn r:f f*nnily r*a-qe' alsr: pushecl c{urin5; tr,h*r 1,i}8fls for 'p-}rrrtective' lerpiml atir:r': 't[iiat exclucj=d womer: flniri rr:rnlllil"t tr*rcjes #"91. thc+ E':hain anci n;aili trarcl*: *f ihe Eiilck Ccuntry anti thlol p:it lttL:ws af, n'iriner; tlrroughoLrt ths* crr[.]nt[]r" V1/trnrer pusherJ out of' th0s(: tracles 'were leil Lrnempltryeld fir filrl'fl.ti{:l tr*r tal<e er}.r[rir;y11.1s1n1 i'', ll)#::iJ )irtir)r'1s that ni;rcie; it difficLllt {jnil wc,rk.ers [t::r becorrre i]rUaniser,l" T'hi* rr;r:iLrueri donrestlc seryine - hyr 'i $'1 1 Stltlb c.rf all u,onrren [Ti'Lit;']15
*r'nprlr:5,*cl w'er* founc lm slervice ar:rl 5:i':rt-tinre and se:isonal wr:r[.r wit$ it(:rrt.'rnlsn" l".Jniliori acti"/lty in r*lulirm l: rruoi-rlen uuers i1;:nei-ally -l-he gc,r"lc+rileci ru.u-ith F(er:rpiirU women oL"tl cll lritEjes. reetsc:ns for this trtu:r$ ivt,rofole:i FIrs*.|y, ltre eniployrnt+nl: *f wonren in any intlirstry ;ilr-t1.,lrilAtim.rlly bi0ur;ht Wfiges dcwr} be,;:;au$s, women ,'nere paid les* tl"r;an mrFl: seaonrdlv, it wils ciainrer,l thr'.-rl tnre prf)$ence of i,vornen in $illntft \\rorkLrlaces r;nri'uirted then.:. Ljri6,rrs cited bol.h ilt 1he tlnre as
g*r:d r+rusotrs wi-ry r&onleir shct-tlctr ien'r*,:il'l In l"hgr hcnre. Theli ve61s) su1l1':}rt*rJ in this by nrh"ldle-class ftjfil'iilHrs lvh,3 salid the absence of \rcoir'r,:ar-r fr"onr the hcrnre ;ts a rnajor fui:t $r in ihe p,:ror hnlalth of wr:rl"irrg,":l;,iss r--"ilrik:irfltt i*nd ins oLrr-ir*ty' of rst-rrk"inrel",cl;rs,s nien. In oucupations r+,rht;i * \\.crnrr-){-r werer .rbfu* k: onganis;*r, m*rti nrrtably trl"rr, L-ancashire ilflr{itr}'r ir!ciilsitry, \*-l-rerr, tlre rnajoriLl4 clf u,rcrrrkers i:nd unir;n niemrbrers W*r{r} \ryrXil"{"Iff[t, il:t=re \,!Erre Very fe,*l ,',tifi"l"lgtt-X irgCl,g U,iniOn rf'Ficlals. T["1e, *.jr:lr'j, \rl1rJrl{ei'5 Srld iln Onr officials utiilt#, tq:r:[,: q:;iqre to'rie,:p r,,uonlen *ut
nf
Xi-rtt
mr:*t sperc;ialiserd arrd hrghl'1, prald jobs in the indirsl:rv ancl
errriui:{i(ti they
$ayed
n subc,rdinert* prr:*itions"
The adi:ptit,n o'the niiddle-r:|ffi*s rnmcjt'ri of genc1,:rrld i:elmtiurt*hip* by uniorx; nreani ttiat +rr:n"rg,n werrB *xila(;ter:i trr find a -ll^he re*litv, holruever, riever lru*hiirtttl $r supt)orl, a w'rrking fathei-. 'anEr*l rnr.i'L*he*i th* irn;roe o'the ir"r tflr*'l hs:nr6' promoted hy'tne rridtlle-c;las:ters elnd tl'ie trade unir:rn$: i't *inr6ll5r +ltctir.lraged sexuai rjisnl" miinatir.rn arid leii tc: l-r;arrlship,
%Ua
a'ft
dm
rnâ&#x201A;Ź'
Cltmffi
S#B
However, the enr:lo,seci wirrNrl of respec,lahle Lraaie unionisnrr uras soorr to be hit by ercenonric rec+ss on. The nriajor rlepressiol"t of 'l8'I3. 9(i led to widespre,acl unemployment and rr:cked th* craft unions to their foundationrs. ln the face r:l'grorylng unenrpllovrnent, workers incrpasingly begarr to challenge th= "respeCahle trade unimnist" stra{egy. Amrrng 1l'renn was Tonn [\'lann, an enginee*r\tlho was la1.er to play a pronrinent role in British syndiEalisru" Writintr in a paruphlet arguing fortlre eiight-houn day in 1llES, Manrn suninred up the gnowlng nrood of discsnterrt vyith rlurrent union thinrking thus: "To Trade iJr;ri,srrtrsils, / c/es'ire rio rn#ke a speolel/ mtrpeai" l{oui /r:ngl, ha'u [ong wi![ yau fue $orrfenf rviffr ffie presemf /5afilftearter/ pafit;y nf unlq)ns... vrhal' goatlpurpo.se are fht+y sem'ng nrsur? Ail of fhery: f,aue [,zrc1e numberc out pf employmen,l.". ltlone of the mpoftarfi sanretlr:s have Wllcies $f,lern il1an endeav,tuing to keap wages frcm fahting' 1',\e true unian pa,ti*y of agtgressiorl gee/r?s enfirerly /msf st'Ehf nf; m facf ffrc average frade untonlrst ef tada"r i!; a man lq/iffu ;Ll'#sst'/lsed ln[,e//erc[ either hapeless/y apafhefic, or suoporfrirg a po/icy th,af plays d[r'et>r'ly rnfcr fhe hands of th= +.apitalist i:rypiai{eir-" lVlann wa:s not alone in hisi arrgrEr" The depremsj,nn saw a rekindling of socialisrn. A numh,er of socialist hodiers were formed, including the Fabi;en Society and tlre lVlarxrst [ir:cial Dentoc;ratic Ft:deration (SDF). T'he latter attrar:ted a nurnbffir ol'tnarie union at:tivists and was prominent in org;antsing large unen]ptoyment denronstrations in Trafalgar Squar,r in '1886 anri 1fiS7. At both d*rrnonstrations widespreacl disnrder occurred with pctlice and
propeity beinE a[liaclced.
Nc:\A, UreEsxreHsnr The hlggerst thr,ga,t to this gerfl.*r,rl wr:nlci *f ther es;tabiisherl tr-la*e ui-riorr clrqJclr *anie fronr 'thre hitherlm-iq rcrr*tJ unsl";illeci rrorkers. Fronr the i8tt0* 'ol"rwarcjs, tr'teTe was an exi"rli:siolr in unskiltred organisation.
ln 1836, a union oiflsi*amen ulas l+:,:nr;h+ri: Lry 188g it ;traimed i:
t"llerilL:)€rrship of ti5 003. A gns w*rllrers' union was restal:lished in 'i88S nn,*j soon har:-l a membershi6: mf 2i),fiil0, inr:ludir:51 many r,vorke
ill
em;,:luyerj oUtsitle'tlr€ gEs industn/, The gas uvorkers r;mbarked on a hiltei lgtruggle r,vith thrl qas oorirpnr-li*t, f*r tilre eriEht-irour da5i, 6,1,1,=1.., N*rj te.l r:t:n'fu"ontatioris ,rrith the al_rth*riti es ifll i'lt-/rileri-lur; I.ouins. J'his strL,ru;glo gtained wide:;pread putrli*iiy'alrrL.l h*lped sp,reatj the idea of ulrsk l!erj L;nions, .,\trs;, in 1889, a i:inr:,k€ris'uni*n i,ntzrs formed arrd it to,tl he#inn agi[ation fc,i'the eight-h$i"it" daV" T-he port r:1, {-_ondon itsell
lyiilli
rr(:it)1"'l
p:mraiysr:tj.
The new *ni;i<.iieci uni,:ns r,,ir+,re Cistirrgulshed f i'onr the craft i:nir:rr* in th;at ihey oflert hacl the rrd,orrj 'general'in ther"title, indicatinE Lhat Ihr,lv ;einr*c! to oqli:nise unskiil*r-i end castal ,uvcriq=r$. For iilt;trrt*,,t*, fh,i+ {,}ernr:ra Railwe*v \,fuffirk*is' t-lnion wi.rs fornled irr BSXJ [u nc,'{*r fr:r nasual raiilvlrr,, labourers arid r:ltilers erciudeC b,/ ti:e Arnnigan.:atecl ,Srlcietv Of Flaiilr,ay Sjir*ivants. In ordel- tir #ttract lor.,v 6"urit..i w,::;'keru, thr=se Feurd Senerai ;"irriimns t(.rid*d to ha\,,e lqr,,rr entranc;*: '1
f*'"":s iend r-lnnike ci'a1t r"lnir:ns, rlicl nr:rt ri :,r61*;"lrj ctn bene.fit s
tc atl.ract
n;*ft'rberrs. Tl-rey r+lied instead on i:ggtr*ssive, strike ta,;l.ics to r,vin ,';r::rilursgionn frorlr tihe elnployers. ll;r'*nt r.he {)r]tset the irqir,,,, gener.Hi uriicllls wer€ll more po iiit;ised thall ural't i"lnlurns" Most of thr.rsei rurgffitising n*w L;nions ciassecj tl:ernselr.rels as sociaiisis; antJ 'ruere alisi prolitical {-rr'$lanifiatiofts" AS a, result general tl'licrtlni, unliltel craft urrior-rs, begar: to errgum for capitalinrrr to be
c;,ftun ;a+f.ive in sr:rc
r"epla*eil hv srlrlle fon"t: c,f sfic.*ialiut rurt,:irlt:/" 'tr"[re spr*a,ri r:f Ltnsilr;lilerj uni*mrii 3ri:ril]itffie] h,.nown lrs "l(ew LJrri{lIlt$n1",
i-..1r"ld
tht= nrjid# o|gairisatioris rrtpridl]
hr:])caft-rL5 estai,riisl-rr,+cl
tlir*ngl"r'*ui the industrii;l areas of Ingimncl, Scoilanr:1 and Waies. 'T"hsr,r ri/a$ firi increase In unir:ri ri-rernrh*rshlpl frr:nr.iurst over 7s0,01[fl] rrr 'l[lf$E t* lt,S n:illii::n hr,, 'i,,gXti. The Bltnwtl-r of tiris tr:r morer nrilltrant, poliLie!s*ri forni erf trade r.irliorlisl"r-l dlci not tArin fayour with +stahlisl-i*tl respe*tal:le unionism. ,i-lashet begun totakr+ place betr,ni*,ren ,!*Lr*i"lr' unctr i.lre 'trades' tvithir tl-r'* '[U(,-) f,rcnl thr: 18-tl0rs onwardll"l. ,Joiln filL:rns descrit>erl th* cliffer+rlr::es ms fcrlir:rtur
nithe
'tr
E{i{"|
"l-L-irl
ron!,}n*:r,.isl
'llhl,sical/y ti:e 'i::ld'' r"lilirurisfsr t,rr:re; much
biryE*.:r thr.:n ff;rrl ne,,u..,1,
gi-naf nurnhe," nf frh*:ir,t lpoked /lfte rtesprer;fab/* crft,,Stlnflerr;rrenJ l?clre yeiir grond #fl;tftr afi# l:,$t fuats ;lnr{ iil F?a/?jl $iTs#s,, !4ie}'e mf sucfr s,:Jr,*;did buil.J ;ntu{ piopnrtiruls iihaf ffoeyp,-esenf*,t#;:rr ;ilJc.trelnranir:, ttat fr. s,ay a rnaEisii*r{l,rrrinrrl: al'#rgrr:if1,. dtmonosf the r;err,rr r*:iegrafes nrf a sri.rgJe one r,trorrl ii fatll haf. I he.1r h:oked like uucrrkrure fi, th*]r were
warkrnr:n." Clashes [:el ,vrren new and oid unir:nisnr r:r,*rl rutrd witl'r rnci'r=asing frequer fil/ o\riei tl-le next fern years. llirrt ihe rJ;,r5rs iltr ',n'iagiste;'ial" tr;lcie unlr:nism tl,ren: runrbered, not le opll. beeai"lse tthe iniroduction of, neuir techn+l*gy i*'ar; Ltrrdernrining *rnft uni*nisnr, tnr()ugn the prr-ri:*itu of eie-skilling. Craft union:l har] hitherln been d(iriendenl on ih+ rrcla'.iv* shor't:lger of ti-relr skilln lo n,l"rair:tain their prr'+ilegeil posltlori. liVhlle sorno craft wonkers site*nrpter:1 t* ci!ng trr tt-ieir prl.,rileces, n']iiitll now lookeid '.o anralganrirtifl51 thflit' organis;etions: wth unskilleC mrnrir*rs irr mrrler 1t: rrailntain theilr it,rrjustrlnl strerig'tl"r,
Anraigarrnti(tn was r:lrear-l5r Lreclinning to otir:LrT [y the 18ge]s. ln -f,"om for instarlce, h,'ianr: s,tor;d for secretllty cl'f, tlre +rn'ft-hasea{ A. laiganrated EInglineerinE Unic,r cln a ticket argulng [r:r the unir:n tr: [,r: opened i:p.r'rn k*rs *killeC r,!'rli-ke i's. Thougit h* uras n-rarrr:wly tir'fei:teri, his cal"rr>aign naC its ri+ffect. The foll+rnilng l/ear, thr,. rurles oi' the union 'rverm *h,nnged to ai:cep,+. iess sklllexJ urc,r!*rB. t il91 ,
CmpEftm$$mms
&. $o*E;m$**rn
It was nr:t just tle-skilling that pra:pellerl arnalganratlon. Unlike Franr:j# (see Llnit 4li, rvhere capritalism uvus slow to certralise, Bnitairr sr;aw ,:apitaliem coming uncler Ereaten r;enrtral control b,r 1890.
Througlr an cln-goir:g process of huslrregs arnalgamation, capitalist prnduotion wae incneilslngly conc**ntrulted Into larger uni1.s, wfrich led t* a tal" g;reater ctregree of concentraiic,n in the patterns trf ownership and t:ontrol. The gro,Mh of ernployr*ni' associatictns contributed to tl'rls centralisation. l'his new worlci of highly mentrallsied cag:italisrn l-rar$tened the dennisE) alf the craft-brrsetJ unir:n, ms c;11>italists hecainel far more orgarris*d and ahltl to co-ordinate the r attamks on the unions far rlrore efferclirrsIy'. Thm idea thnt wou"kers mhcruild organise on ffrH inrJilstria! brasis h*rgan tcl be rnrJ'rocated by an incneasing nuntbet- r:f workers. For irrstancel, in 1889, the Miners' Feclr*ration r:f Great EJritain was estattlilnhed in ordertr resist attacksi l:rtrr 1X1* increasinglSi co-ordinated mine trwnens' organisation. ,{n*ther factor r"rndermining tl-re clld craft unions '.ruas the spr,ead of socialist icieas. The iclea Lrnderpinrilng craft unionisnr was the need to prr>tect workers' craft status, largely througTh ensurlng nntry skilled work,*rs couid joln the union and work in the trade concerned. Ely' its very nature, this was a divisive iciea" "[-he spread of socialist ideas, whictr generally enrplra*ised the need 'For wcrkers' sol danity, lnervil:;rbly undenrninei:l tlre notion that all that rnatiered was protecting sectirrnml intenmsts" Socialist icleas rtrerne spreading rapriclly aniongst the unions ffi$ oan be seen by a nesr:Nrition thati,vas passed by the T[-lC in 18-q3" This rr,solution un_qecJ unions to supporl or'rly parliaunentatry candidiates prledged io trhe crrller:tive owrership and control r:f the means nf producticrn, riirr'tribr-rtion and ex:hernge, much trr tl"'tcl horron of the n-rcre n:agisterrial ni#mrhers. This Hrcrg seen as a turnlrtg point h!, manS' surcialists ancl r*rrms to pave the uray for the estahlishnrent of the I.abour Party. The birth of hle,pr Unionisrur was fl6t greetecl with nruch joy hry thm nrlinE classee. It vras one thing tc grant limited legal rights to the '[opr-hatted gentleunen 'fr$rfl the cnaft ul:ions, hurt quite â&#x201A;Źtnother io grant legal stettus to the liktrs clf Williarn Thc,nt'le, leader r:f th,: $as r,lrorkf*rs' unimrr, who bmasted cf his pant in leaclinE an mttack on scahs durlng a striker fmr thel 8-hour day in Leeds. The siEht of the'gl-,eat unwashed', mrg;-*rt isi ng ancJ prarail'silr g i nd ustry titl,clu g h rir il itar.rt stri kqs, corn nl; undmr ttre influence o[ 'alien' sociali*t rloctnines terrifleqj the rLlling i
classes into action. The entployt:rs, backerl up by thre state, unleiurhed an attack :n trade unionisrm in the 18S0s. Striking rniners r,,,,tere shnt in Featherstone, Yclrl<shire, in 1893. iln the sarne year, gunboats werre' arrchored on the river Mersey duril"rg; a dockers'stnik$. The police anci arrny were trained in how to deal rnrittt clemonstre*tr:"s and [:egan regularly practisin6l baton charges" ln 1897, due iio a strike in Londr:n by enginee,rs ansl $ther urrions for the B-hour day, the newly fornred Emipl*yens' Federation of Englneers Asso*iertlons organised a national lock-nut in m bid tr: h:real< the increasingly mllttant engineerlng unlon. The dlsipute lasted six ruronths and waei itre first large-scale national disprulm in British histcry, The attacks on mrgtanised laboLrr culrninated irr tlre ["aff V'ale n.lling ity the House of Lor,:h ln 1$01, which in e;ffect allrpv,rmd r*rmployers to clilinr danragen against unions, an(l In cloing so remtoved the unions' linrited legal proter;tion.
10
Cm pBftm$fimmt'#
Fr{ffiw
Fese
lVith the return of fuNi ernp[:5rrtre,nt ;,:i,:l-rnd the tri -rr of the G6]ntriry, the [Snitish ruling elik: faced m grtluinq crisis. Tire ernpk:rymrs' i*'|:t;rq:iis hrmcl proved r:'rly a ten]porary ;,en-lcl rninnr setf:ar;k tq: l\eritJ LJni+ rilsrn unrl union rnenrbershlp *r:rnl:ir:ueui tr: Enr:w i"apidilr. This
lf
b5r a arg,e section nf nnd p:,niiticiilfi]l be(ta^ +o rurguu that, ratherr ihan llttempiing itr ereldicate the unir:l'rs, they slsstr;1 her 'lnn$[nriiiet*d' oi- 'lir;*rpror;lteci'. "['tlr*ugh i:p1:anentlli ftreetini] sc,r']"te rlen'l;lntls nf 'thel less lrrlitant leader*hi p,, it uryns; srrlueei, the unions cr:rrlc i:t* maniptlatr-itJ nirrJ Llseci ns m;Xt:nte to c;rntru-N ti"ie problent of 5;lr"ouiing; u,rr:rkirlg ciasrl rrrllitancV. Si t' Lx,e njr:lnr rn [J'orqrn e, a pours; rfl I I si'r 6.rhu ilcJi n g nragn ate, u;h;m';ls:teri$eti th[s breathtaking chang* of r"rttitr:de Lry tr capiialist ninss hitir*rri* t'*rc*irrus in ils r-;omrlritment tu ih* freer n'ler-ket doctrir-le: 6:rr:rnr5r,'i.mri
'the nrIitt91
a quite rentarkable charrge
tl;lss" A
utrategy
nurrnLrer of capltalirits
i
'?l,,ltof lue r+r:nf is firl l":eEofiaft-: r'uiffu r.vr:1tr*.i'lsn r:s lr;rtr:f as pcssibl$ i:rr erll,rmt f*lrur:s...! arn fur a/l urrrcns., tf unrults and empjol,srs warf,l #I?r:lr:r,l:[1"ffi9]#r:/ m liffle *tote. the'1' wnu/t/ he airle fo do ilir;rr w,ork, so fltilf .qiiupi:,ifl#{r,r$ t\rt:iLrld rre file rarerif tlhtrr$l ,rr; fh,e uusrid.../ nave ahvatr'g mdr,t-E*.rd entp:fcry,r61s that i,ve Eef r:t'l ler"'lrerffer urf;rerr: ,,+e gt fhrauglt th+t i;rlr'oils than r,,tihen lue al'f rncr*;;:en*'elrt:fy fr*m [!1em." T-hls c,harrge cf strletei;V wa$ $i;rof't put lntr: arltiort" 'l-he'First
tne ll{lth Century $iirr# ift+ introductii:r: ofl a nun-tber *f B,ritieh slate took itu [in*t t*rrilatlve steps towand m*iatltrir:hing a systen beser{ on wh;i[ wns lat*r to balcrtnre welfare cuprit n ll*t'rt. T[":e state introci uced hnrEmi rri ng mncj nonci iiation nnulufrailisnls anq:i the,/ r$f,ire soon heirE Lr*ed thn:lugirrrut rrruch of ffititisir inrlurttry. The airn of l.hr:sr* r"l*lll procedurels was,io channel wc,r'l(-"rE' finUrlr flwnLV fronr action anij inttl i"lmgoliatlon, rvhene their rtrtlml;rrrctrs ,l#Lild be shap:ed anrJ nrmCifiefl. The 'r*spqnsibNe'trade uniclrtist, whcl',rr,,'sis lr,rillnrg to neg,:ti;:ltr* anil aut itt the in'"erests of the
fift*t*rr yemrs
crf
rm1'r:;l"r"ut rirs i.l-re
a$ a ffiflnit{lffiment '['he
tvas trr he tht* r:unulLlit thrr:L:gh uvhic;lr to exerclse cnntl",ll s'l#r l.ftf,* rlrork(lrs, le'-,ers;al of the Taff Valu: uli:lci*iion thrr:LlEh ihre Trade Drspl.itr* A*t 's[ 1l]$6 errrsured that unir:l'l'Funds were once again il"n'irutLu't* flrom prosecl;tluir. [iimrilar in-i'ltunity fi"onl pnos,ec;ution was ;ills$ 1;ivern tr: ltarje ur ionists enctallmrl irl 'rt,:sponsible tratje union ildivtv'. ln lHtl[], A,c!s rru--re passed rrrhi*:h llnriter.l the nL.inrber of irr")Lxrri wclrk#d in the nnines. Tracl* f:ro'nrds wer# introcjicr:d ii: 'X [)0Fl tc irldusitT5r
rruhcrNe,
hope{:tr
t1
regulate \,"rairâ&#x201A;Ź]$ irr *w+iatsho6r industries. Ir'; il1 1, il"is Iitdusti-al C,runclls wf;r# *q*t ilp as a pernranr:nI iristitL.rticrirniisecl link betu,,eert la..our and caplital" FJmtyueen 'l 9il6 eLnd 1914, r,an''iclr,:s welfiur*l prrf,granrnres u,ren{} intnodircerj, whit:h are s'[lll sr:*n [.l5r many'ns tire '1
orig;ln of the
m*dein vuelfale state"
hlistorv l-r*ok* i:ftt:rr Eiire the inrpressir:tr thial 1l'rr-o: initlaI traCe urrion and sociai r*:forrns were broughi about [:y w*li-rlie.,lning;progi'essive, u;lper'*iass retclrnrists, whr: e:rposed tre true hr:l"rors cf ,r,,,:rl.;ing class iifrn ta a Llarsioally carirrg; but ignrtrri?fi1 rulinq elrte. Ctherr E(,urces pointtr-; thr: fant that refc.rrnrs tnere intrncir:c;r:d tr: en$ure an atiecli:ate suppi'r,, cf l*b,:ul'. EV the turn of the ce*ntt. l.y, it r,+as b*rcrrnring incrn:asing;ly ciear thrat a mioclern industrillil ec:otlsfl-nr/ was nrtqjed to ensr.rie n r*ptsonablV he;til'th\r and eclucat*rl wonlsfurrce. trt ir+;rc fiLlso ilppniernt thletthis could not ire lefitr: th,B .frcl:$r lrr*rkmt and ihat state interu*li.iol woulcl Lle nerluirerl" !{.,/hile hatir argunrents have s1:,ine \i/eight, a f;lr;ior noI often ta[<ln into account l:y either is ltl'rat Il 'drir': lhe rru,orker:' l'rrilitancy ancl ihe threat it hnir-lgi'rL thnl wenm c;rulciu :c orrrrging abnui. therse changes, There was n ferffr annorrg Britain's ruling *iite, *{ten i:r*rcieninq ,:n ih= hysterical, that the uri*dr-rcated ntasses coullcl, ilt an\r tirure, I
err--rDark on a revolLrtinnilrv orEv. Thruugh intr,:lCLlrli-tg linri'led reforns lo ellrtir:te some oif the w*rsi exc(]ri$es r"if ci*pit*lihirlr, ancl thror-rgh rrriicn assinriiation, lt,*.as hopet-l to sl"lape u;r:rl,iirrr) r;lass t:L"iltrlrq] ilwallr fTr;rrr re,,rciiltionary- notlons. it shouki be noted ihat r+velr the wq:lfai'e reforms thal ,.ru'+rr* introdur:r*d inclur:Jei:l a Iarg;e ekenrBnt,*f sor::ial ri,ntrcl. For *ranrp:le, unen-rployn'lr:nt brerre:fit wB.s cel"lied to those for 'indi,iritdml nris*urndutt' and ihose rierenled 'guiit\r' of "'ii:n'iissed ir.:.rcoi'dinaticn toivirrds en:plrryers. The ainr i":f wcrlfsrc rclfclrff lvas tEl erisLiie a i-egulartr+ti w'orkfotce siJl,).1(]L-t to state :*isciplin*. F{efc:rrrr u,rrrs to er:coi.:rage the i,le*l i::f tht* rrsDonsihle worker, w"liie isolatinr5S anc ounlsl:inr; ihot*** lrvtc;r *16ued ft:r c;illss,t aurrflict.
1?
##rB
$tr
rymE*sre*
Anmther rnalor lactr:r increauirrg y +*xel"r:ising ihe rnirrds ,rf Sn"ili*h cie6:it*llu{ti i,trasi the i:Ir.:tu=rloratlnE en#r:x{,}mI/" 'X-he grezrt,iepiession sI tl":tr lllttl JStli [];+-,trtn:ry n:irrkecl ther *rrriutr sf ffinitaln's donr nant positio* in th# ,,arfl,rNci â&#x201A;Źrfl$nfinry. :r*rn ti-le IEI[']s ::nwarcjs British r;apital uras fn**:rl wri'ifr incr.eri:seqi cornpetitir:n frr*ru' tfi* hiEh-ierch, l'igh inve*stnleni 'nf GenuaL"lli arlri the 1,"1ffi,/\, [.]urirrr; 1.l.re perir:d het',,,,:eren lfl'fll"] anul 1S14, tl-r'e IreytJay of Bnltieril iir"r5:rerialisirt [he nol,ir:rr ll"rat'pr:pLrl*tir.:rr I*i p()\rvei'har:l rr nrajot-lrnp;nnt mi'r w::fliten, 1-[rr: productiunr r:f 'ln'[rnrir::r'' ,,r,t*rkers r:f pooi'n'tatrlre: and Inr:lifl',rrr;rmt heail.t-t u,iau prirnarily lair:i i,nt lhrir fm*t of wr:nl.iinq-ciass \\i{:r['nDr] ltil"ru wsrrr de0nlecX poor er [#r;kl#ss' nr*thels. On the othl:lr hnntl nii rl die-cll {rrl s r,,rrrnrerr s us pec;t{+*i m{' urii r 6l fi ontrfi c 3 tlt iD n we i-e rjme*rutecil traiturs to lhqlin class for iefr.rtiinrg in proclucer ernc;Lrgh trab,ierr-+ *r:r::lt.]ll'tilr*.:s
t:f t[i*'sLrg:erlor'1.ype .o popuiate ancl :t*ilntairr thri Brit=ir Fmpii'e and Lremunre the llr;lrlargers c,t Britlsh i:upitni. Xhe drive to lr*dLrrje tlel.t#r 1+r*rk *rr'.ri' iend tl'rr,:n*gers' fcr Britieit,r's ctrpltalist systen- ,rue+ighed he,n,rllv rln wofi'trtlu uri-o, as we hfil,e ixlr$#dir $e#n, vJerâ&#x201A;Ź aiieady herrr:r:1 *lr,:;lrrk:d f!"rlnt tiarlc=*= iind the v,tonkpln,:;e in gterieral *y unions v;hcse intmr*ts[:; nlirn*r*cl the retluirenrents o{ capitnl. Re-proluction becrrne * ir-V.ilne-. *f capllalist pruclr,rt":tlirn, [ifid j]'tirin tl"lir; hasiu l'urtran lLlnr:licir was ir[ri"]rl:lrriated to t'ie ne+etis o1'tlre r:klte*, r,vithin a se;cis;t nrr:Llel Llf hurr':rrir r"el6rrnfir.rctive,l resp*nsiLrlliiy'" Tirisi ineid*l u*ils sL p6;orteld bv the 6rrerlhrt'n
ilranily
rni: ler t'arle
un
ir:ns.
unahlc fl*r rriairti;.*irt nclnquillte ievels oi' -l-hrl Iilrr** [ru'rr.rntI anrj ;:rodllctirrltv ,llas fu:r4i#r"edorrtr5r uvilli Erltish A*i it
r,n';,1ru,
tsrita rl
r,r,ras
,r.;*pi[,nlimit: ,:]$uld rl-xfl;r{ain prr':tit lelv*fls lviNr* t* fmri:e {ir:,,'1rl r,t,ages. l-f,-ris [-ii)l,4rr, dL.irin[J [:Dr:ril [iffrffis, i,uithoLlt rlrienrplr:ynrent tr: n:::,*+.1*rl * pt*[:,le+m] clit*r:lil.rllttu w*T[,i.r]rs, rlces capltaiisrlr ,:r"lilIru:,1 1i\ii-rfiEts to c,:l.r"lpete with ll'rr:.lre *ffir:i*nt *r:r:nonriesl? lt r*i,tas *r ptr'r:[:rl,*rn th;lt tsriIislr c;a6ritalisnr wm*i 1o srtrug;rgle with f:r n:uch of, lftir c*rrtul.V, ;l;nd pad r:rf thr solutir:;-r xrrr,r';.],;ii Ut"!tr{:,1 ln tlln onr;r:),nE inCoi"pr::rn*,:ilnr:n *f lltr,r trnCje, UFiOnis. The initiatl incmrproratir:n str,i*{eg1' v,,-ils tu gl"rlnt lir*liir:'J unioi-t
,
pffirr,,6ir-, in tl're hrr:pre that thre wonkl'oruq cr*uld [:r llurnlpr,ltrater:l intcl {tfiEri}:}[inil Iml,vr*r'r,,,;ilclers in exc]rirnrqlrr. AccurilingX 1.cr ecc:ncnniic *flh#d{l){,V, tt.lis rrri.ruici leasj to !Jrefltflr invegtnrr+nt r-,nd trus res[,rre [*rital]n's f;tillng r*conon'ri,: pcrweru-. il*i fili"t;1, Ihis appr+urer-] [o r,,,'nnk. Lji'+n tlri:rr"lilh tlim fltst years ()f the 2{lth fi*inl.urt $tfill/ nn ecorornic.: hooil-r, with :*[il ft.lll eirup"ril*1,rr-lelnt al":r] risiInp unfu:in r"rruli"inlrership, wa1;les al*mii 'ierd in leai t*rl"llf . [:i,*t','iier:n 1$.1il[ aillr] 1[i 14- t:rerllgr,: ,w;;pes i'r*li
IJ
by 10%. AlI seerned rosy fon British capitalism, Th* 'golderr era' of the Edwanjian period was nrat-ked by grovririg inequality as rents and profits exploderi, while uiork"ing class f,iv'irg standards de>clined. lt loo[tecl to some capitaList leaders as If lSritnin's economic de:cllne could he rever*ed through tfiris strategv"
ffi$uremtuBtrra*y
vs.
Ff,E$sftmffi*y
ln reality, any satisfaCia,n Eritish capitalisn-r felit aet its new-fourrrl profitability was nl'oft-lived. lt anything, the inareffisecl use ot triirgaining procedrres to contro| workers' milltancy hmd the r:pposite effect. The spreat! of bargainirig prr:cedures requireel an increase ir urrion bureaucrac!'to stafflthe newly fornred negattiating bodies. This growing bureaucnelcy, enanrsuned ry their neur-fr:und statum, scrc,n b<pan to take on t:onservative attitudes. Union le'*aciars hr**anle reluctant to call strike action tlrat n ight jeopardise thein Er:md relations wth the enrployen:. The g'cal of ellsuring unicln rec:*gnition and rnaintaining negr:tiatil.rg riEhts becaLffie an end in it*elf" As a result, r"rnlon officials came to be viel,ved with growing hc>stility by ordinary unir:n nrembers. They appeaarercl remote, c;r-rt ofF fr<lm the shr:p flmor, finrj increasing ly lcrst any $sn$(3 of milltanoy tlre drrcperthey henarne ernhroiled in :argaining $tru$tures" Thris resulted in thr* grorlrth of afornn of stnike aCion that wa$ laterto chraracterlse lSritain's post-war industrial relati*ns * the "unofficial" strike. As wag*s l:mntinued tcl fall, anger affiong wr:rkers grew rJue tr: the slowness and ineffec'tiveness crf bargainin5; rna,:lrlr:*ry. This quickly developed as the growrng tnistrust of r-ru-rion clfflcrla[s vr,ras combined with plunging living sti:n:lards. The state's ntternpt to porlnalr itself as the wmrl<*r$' friend a|sc, pro'red not to be as popular as the protagonisllm mf incorporation' hild h<:ped. ln retrospr:ct, this was hanrltry surprising, gi'ren the hrstorica distrust of the statr= arnon$ British 'ruorkers; ever slrrce feudalisnr gave wiay to capitalisnr, the state had been hri-ital rn its st.:pipoffi furr crrprtalisrn against workers' interes:s (see LJnit 1). ltmfunus such as the poor laws had been intrr:duced, sr.rpprosedly tn -etrlmve workers' 14
siu{T*'ii-ril" Liilterr erxperlence to thffir crr-}rttflr}' hnci leri !l'ietnv vuorkcits L0 flsg{}llffte the stfiter artcl its laws r,q,i'[h rt'-r*:r!,ling c;lass cr;6lr+ssir:n. ,r\tthe turn r:f tire C!*rntLrry, t[re f'lated pomr laivs vumre still irr o;:eraltirri'l and stilil 6itUs filJ [:itL*ilr resentntenL" The or:urtt t,*,: iL,"rffir+ (:lene!-,ali\, vier,,vecl h'rr wo[[.,irrfli iis; far fr,rni neutral, perr]frive(l to be irifittng ilr the inieresis r:f 'tl"t* *apitalists. As: a resiilt, anti-stmte feeling ran cleep anron!] Eritairi's
work ng clas;s" "[''he aIntr:st instilnctiue anti-s,ifite sertinra:nts lve*: founci in rruch rrf Hrt;airr'rl r*r*rlv sonialiut'tl'rinklng, ni*st nrrtably in the work of Willl*rm lx,4r:rrrf:;, whu r*lecter:i lc;ren"ir:ntal rr:,fr:i'rt"l, aluuir:g fo;'autononrous wcli:k*rri being fully in control r:f ali asJr**ts of procluctir:n. hlorris ancl N'iis; a;tq:cintes in effe,;L argued for dirslct r,voi'[<ers' control as oppos*r] tt: pi*rn*i'l'ieal t'e:f,:rni try a benign state . Mis{ru.lst of the ritate nut oniy harnp*reclthe rulin3 elite's attenrpt t{r #il,fit it**lf in .1 nrii*r Ii51hi, lt alscf, c-1fti-.nr;ielr.i i;clnsitlelrabtr:r prr*bien"is f*r" tll* grut,uinLl smclalist rrsvennent. l\li tire socieiisl. piafti+s and grou;rs tl"rat r;mr*rped tr:iruard:; the enrj of lh* '9lh *entury - ih= h4arxist S**ial D*:nr-rmriltic Fe*dei-atir:;'r (SDF) in 'l[iri]r$, the Fri:i:inrr Soc.iety (1888}, ihe $nrJerpienc$*nt ["-nho*r ]ranty (lLi]) in X8{}fi and, in 1900, the Lahour ["teprrn:ir:ntertion (}onlllritt+e (t-Ftf;] 'ft:re nurrnm.r of tll* [-abour [Ji]rty r'lvfiIr0r flr"rlilr corr:t"r;itted to r,nrlnning pt:liticrr! F)o\,-/ffir throug[r tire F):rrlirrn'r*rtt;-:ry proLless. ,All t!"rese ruroi.tp$ *mught tr: carii the :.ltate ns "r n*:utr;al fur"ere thint cor.rlci Lre us*r{ f*r tt"r * i:wnefit r:f the vrr:rking clas".;. T.hrin wms ln dil'er;t cc;lfiriai:liction tr:; iin;ltry,'wsrkers' instiirlcts arr,l m;'ipr*rir*ilce.
-[ltis
iorrg helti rtristrust appenr*r:1 to be wetrl-founr.ied when, in th* return of tu;erntrr-nir"re [-F{fi candiCz:tes, who
thq* i[t(]di [:lr:rctiL]n, lrnm'reliliruteihl
hecanre
llher
[-abour
il]r*r11\,,
fi*iled tr: beconre a
T]e\,v
fig,lhtirlr fmrue f,nr the r,vori,;ing class. fl fl t*nlering ltrarli;rrnent, these l.levr fu4[i['ri $memrr:rri qL. lcltly to forgelt thi:ir sficlalist id*al;. lnrsf-*ad, ih*y se*etrrr*d rulnre inte.r'estecj ln tail-ending, mild generaily tielending, th*e [*ihmr;l i Hn rt y's vl'e lfa rr: c:ap,l.t;r lisnr th nr pi r:nn,*ti n q1 an i rrcJer pend e nt '['his sr:L:i:; iIllt ;elt#r'nfitir./e. smuntJs ffili t:fi faruriliar tocia\r, u;ith the r:lunle nt ftnfi*s of I'Je:y; Luil.rour and the in*,ritabler &ctions or ihe vari,;us '5iu,q:iaiil;t' lel"[ p*tl-[i*rs. r,nri"r*ner,ren pc]"tuer
i*
uvithitt their orasJ.i"
15
SiyredEem$iisn're
x
n Bs"Eftmxrx
Llnder th* st:tci;rl and econon-ric conditions cles*ribecl abole, il wruld have be*n r;rrprising if somrrr fr.:rrn of syrr*"1imrlisl, rnr:l'emrent haci
ir: [irii;rin in the \rei:r"s leadirrg up to the First Wmrld Ul;ar. l-lie exist*nr:e r:f a powerful syircJicailst nrover-lrent in France "[he hircl lorrg cast a sFilrjow c,ver the Ei'itist-r lab,rur n'i*irerrient. Frercli CCT arglut;d for direct action rather than concilratlonr, it sirunned parliaru:er:tary action antl diil nrr:t see the stfltfi, as neutrai tut ar; acting in the inter+sts nf carpitalisrn" This exain;.rk,r nf a ctrifferenrt l.ii rd of workei-s' org;;lnisation llLrst flcr$ss the chnnnal, cr:upled with'he er;onomic and ;rnlitic*l c';hanges wil liin Britain, h*16:**r::l in the,: ernergence of r+vo!utinntary s,6ndicalisnr in Eritiain. ln the e,r*nt, the first xynLlicallst Eroup tn ElFrfl;leiar in Hritmrn r,','as il.rirrB influeflcr*ri hr,events in the l*nrted Stateru ru-rtitent["tillr in [:rance. trr ifitl3, inr.-reies;ini:lly tlir:riiusioned nith t['re SD[:'m e+xc;lusil'ely pr:rXitical strategy, ,,,,.lhrch ig.}rrored the wr3fl<pl;rr:e stnuggie, fl groilp of r,,or$<ers in Sr;rttlanrl spi!t r:tt*ay to forrn the Sior:ialist Labour FuriV ('SL-P) l-he Sl .P was inllLien,.:erri by the ideas ileveloped by ti're Amreriu:irn socialis{, Daniei de Leon" I'i [i"tls stag* the rje Leonist nicverienl in lJritain, ;s in the USA, v;as nlt filrndicalirst. Aithough the rerrn il'lli$nar"V potentir:l r:f inilustl-iai confl!c:t l,rles not igrrcred l:le L"ecn lL:rnkel to nev*lutlon prnrarily thrci;gh proliticai nr*thoris l'{owever, *s Dn Leon's rnoved -1904, sc trl rJicl his ffirilish '-irrse;rto revoli"rtiqrtrary syndici:lisnraflter sLtpp-rnrters, e*pnclalllr aiter his it'rtit:lvtlt-nernt in thul f:tindatinn of the .il\n"iEliican l'fl/lV ([ndListrinlWr:rkens r:,f tl're Worlil] ini 1$CIS. We sl-riell exainine cie Leon't; ir:lears in llnr* aletail when we lcn|r; ut the histr:,ry of A.tr-: er ri ca n s ynrJ ical is nt. it'ulas nr; ec;inent thill tlie irJea of rndustrial irni';:nisnr tlttvelupre(l ir lhe riS sh,:ulC [rir:ire attrar:1.ive tt: B;"itish !,',/orP{.#rs '[he aiready niighty aird irroi-e itcjvanc*ri US econr:nry had Eone thn*ugh it procâ&#x201A;Ź,ss of cnpitaiist c+nilralisaiion mariier than tsritain. Arllericfin *apitnlists nird rJsu=d the {:crnr:;eilliration clf power to unleash a L:itt*r nnti-union ci-Lrsade" ,4s m resuNt, thre lderzr of rrrlustriirl Lrnionlcint iii$ ir way (l'f cr:nl[::iating con*entrateei r:apitalist l)o\dvet-was far nrr:,rm advnnced. Tire fri"nration .lf iriciustrial unlcns, rr'rith t[.leir em:ph;tslu r:n inunl crgarisaticn, srlcr= becafi'rft or're of the central thclmtu:ts of B,r"iti$h ievol:riltrrA"ri s), nr,cs li snt, lrr 19C6, iciiitniing the e:<anrple of tire Americ;en cle L-eonists, tire lll-fi set i:p tire British Advocertes c,f Industriai Unir;rs (BAILJ). It was hopt:tJ tl'ri;'+.r,;i:it leacj tc ihe c:reati:n of irroustri*i ur;i*ns in Britain. nr-rt rlerr,erlopetl
16
["hiq:
iiil-.[3-BAILi pubiishe*r.j two mic;Rtthil punilrtln,
7]e
i-jori;:-*.s*
and
'[he
?"ih*."r
Jnr/*r;fri;rf \illork*r, 3nr:1 h;egilri to elp,,!llrJ thromilhqlLt'L Elritarn. #rgiinirialion cstnne io pru,r.:r'lriner:c* rlur ng *:r frit{er dispLrte ir-i 101'1 atr, tl'ir* i[,ing*r sewing n"laichine ,"r,;r]rks, !vi-flrE] i'fl hati nonslcietaLrle sup;:r"-;,rt rl rl"t{:}r}[J tlr m mrru in
'tr"hr:r";ph
i
y ferrrale,"o",orkfor*t*,
lite s[rtitegy of, huih:linE
ifii:lu$tiltr1 Lini,f,txs pTovec] to hrr=.r re[l*l' arrl in Brltain's cr;ntralised e+o]'r1.::'fl]/, the ruethoii f ilchie,,,ing it
tl"t* "t;lui;tl uninn stratellii' ^ l'rampered
tr*
S[-.P-H,a,lU
s [iroEr*ass. Tir{:
irie.a r:f huiltling ent;râ&#x201A;Źiy nevrr r*volltl(:iiuitY inillrstrial ui-,ions made nrunh nt*i"e sens;e irr he [JS, rrvherc ulic,,n nrernbershl6r irrras siill snrnl!,
{n H}rlfu:in, [[:*re,r,vas :r rvelI-erstabiir*hflJ *xistirrg union *iovement.
'T-'nut pruLrlernl of creating nerrv LlTri[JI.lr$, plt.Ls thr: lar-i.iirnt the 5[-!*'ii:l&iL, vli*ri stiln c*ninrilter.l [r: pirrliilrurmi"'[rirry;;:cti,:n, or.]Lis;ed a spiit in 1tlft{:i, whi*h led to thrl; fir;rmatir:rn ,:f Xhr,: itrilustrlai [-eilg..re. Cne of its
16[rr"ldirtrii,
[:
,J H
Allen, :r.rblished a Danrpi'il*i a yBar
late-+1,
erititieci
Itevrrriultii:ur*l1,{-/nicl,r;ri;rn, lrrhich lii!cl nr.lt ir dlfferr:ni stratt+gy to that ,-ll' rjLi;ei Ltnic;ul$m. Allerr re,ier:ted i..le[-e*n'$ ii-lt*ie nf bu:ikning ;l sep:rari:tr] *;:*iii lisl nanly, isrgLlir:g that the indutst "iail Lrnir:rns sh,:url i be indqrilrerrijq,rnt nf i:ll urr itir:ai p:rfiles. Tt-imugh hel tlir] nDt rulil DUt pnrliarnmnt;:t"\r ui;tilir r:ntirely, he*.'v'nE .,tilfilflar';,,* to Lhe exten't unir:nB slrr:rr: lcl
st.,t 1lr;:-rofi
it.
TIiere was also a thircl grou;: ,pr:1uir.rii fun revolutiorrary unions irr -[-hese: Urlhr r: in [h* l'itst ve;rrs o['thr: 20th il]u:,ntL.rry. s.i(ire the anarchrl)*yrirX ,:;.tiitit glr.JLrl)s, vr,l;icl-r had r.Xe,r,'+:1,1[ruill frr:m r*xisting at-rarchist gJrflLrlis i*rrj h;"rC begun lc s*pneatl ;]*rffiss [iniain" l:r 19i]7" tiie
air;iarr;hist 6L;:p;*r Freri=l:/orm iaunched fitr,* u/oic*:r r::rI.ahr;ur, edited b\l;-l sfiml:i m1"c.:w-.:r"d, Jrl-rn J ufl.ner, a fr:rl"lrilrlr ;rm:;nr;inl* of Willlan'r tr\r'torris. it imil*tl ;rglninst the'blir;ht of r',:rsp,*i.:hlhility' tl'ratt liarl flrlk:n i-rpom i.jnic)rl *{'fi*ii'tls, rn'lan}/ of whos4 nrmin inter*r*lI Wns e*tnhlishirtll tr poiitical 'l-h:er nit["{:}(}r. nr*pir:rr arguecl for tr:vi.rh;f lunarli iltr)patsaritln within
nxist rii; rini*nn iiis il'iliav of prornnLln,6l
iilrtCLnttt'iliilI unionr; lrnci r:if thf;: s,ec{i(.}nEiisn r r:[ til"lfl ifi::liq,kiirml t\ir:rkr:r1s,' *nganisaticns. Al*ng ',vith thls 'boring frorr ,,ir,,it['ril"r" riiS:glr-r"rat;tr, th:re were othirr i,inii,,l'()fiil*tiyl'lrlilnfilists'ruho adr,,,rrcatr:irl thr,r,clual i:nicrnisrrr approrrch, nin*t nurtably thel Irrdr- sr.nial Uninr"l ,-l'1"[l irs+ct Act]r:l: jstr.i l:lUADp\), f,orn'r*r:l in 1[ll(}iI hv Guy Fldre j, {!-rr:ugh '[herrp luere di"Ffleren*e,* over stratr+g3 mu,itrr;li:;,filtiri1;
;il"rrffirlU tl"lu annrcho-syndir:alist qrffiL p*i, f itir-q tl()mri not seriri'lr tu have.' prr,r!,(:rt't[d]d c]l#$e r:ffi,-(,] lErrr+tiuffi I-letl;tuflerl1 [herfit" Anarc;l'iil-srfnclir-:alisfs tvr:rrlt:pel hcth witfrirr existinq uninrr* ani in *atrternatin'e inr:jr."lstrial
groupings" /qnarchffi-syndicalist groups welre ffrrmeiJ in nicrst inCustrial centres, with activities rangin.q frorn stree't corner speakintl arrd providinE sociml r:lurh facillties, to organising anmrmhist Sunday sc;hools and ramhles. As well as tl e grov,rtli of grcll ps arguing fffir $r)rfiB form of revolutionary ur-rir:,lrisrir, a nurnber rf individual traclr:r unionists were attracted to syndlcalist ideas. An i'rrpontant vehrmle in spreading therse ideas was the rreurly fornred Plebs League and Certtral Labour C,tllege. This fonnred a ne\4r worl<irrg class edumatitln n-lovenrent, formed after a dis6rute at F{uskin Crllege. lnfluenned hy syndicalist tl'linking, the neur rnovernent spreaC lts ideas thnourlh a netlvork of study groups, irulri<:h was particurlarly strong amoflH $sluth Wales rniners, where a nLrrriher of activ'ists Hdopted the id,nam and practices of revolutionary $! ncl ical isnl.
to
Tom
Mmmat:
fi pruvr:rJ trt be a turnln6; pr*iirt irr the rJevelcprrreni of ,['om s\rndicaiisl+i in Britain. ivii:nn rr--tunnecl tr: Britain a'* il *r:nvr*rt ttr xyndicaiilnt, Ttr-ris c[turi6t* r:{'vir*w !'iad cr:,iirr= about irftei hir*l t'rxpmrlr:nnt"*s cf stute-controlley-j ilnc ustry ancl L"ah,or-i-;lr:iministratiort in llrri[tnlim, rn 6rafticLtilar during a rstrih,e inv,:,luing the n-riners of tsrr:[<*ir F{fiil lrt [3r-,uitlr i&usirfilia" l-i,ere tfre rr"rlin1l l-ib-l-*b state governrrrent had s;iil*r.l wit['t the ntlne o\flrilers and ord*tr:d in innop* io i:reial< the strlk*, leaui rg nrar:y wclnkers; unemployecl arel rnrprlsoned. F,cilons srLch as th+*er ti5r socralist rroliticians hatl teft h4nnn clisgurtted v.ntl-r 'X-roiiticial rn,t*t l'l*rd*' innd'siate s oclia trisrur'. Tf'trl ha*k:lng of fu'lann pi-ov*cl fl -rti4joi' tLoost to the synCicalist i'"nmvcr!ren't. fioiann rn;s a well-knr:l'+,r'r irfitior'rml fi6rire dlre to the: ptrtlruinen{ i"r"rlE; he h;lri piayed dul'rr;;,n 'fhr,l 88* clock stn[<e, ;:nd ther felc;t tira+, h* hacl bee-rilthe first gerreral sâ&#x201A;Źl'irritmrli *f the Independent Lmbunrr F'arty" i-1e u,ras niso well-k-nrrwn &m{)nU wol-kers' *rgmliisa*tiuns, hnving uvrl'lten the ,:rigiral i:arrrphlet adrr65stipg the t]'1
!)'1
l,evr:rtrtttiern;aryi
'1
Ll r cki y. ["'l is co l'm,r.:l s io m to'-i;v nd ir:r* i * n'l rec* iverl r"r-,i des p rea tj ils\r'â&#x201A;Ź"Il(,Jfl A{th*ug1h, irp-ron N:is return, he bri+fly j*ined ti-re SDF, [re $i$u::fl kft, givlttp t[re firliowing reas$n in his rr:.siiXna'[ir:n Xetter:
h ft
l
'f ant dll'relr fn the hcrlief thaf th,s j"d,ill r#iasrrrir u,,fuy trile tracle unixtt nlnrerl';e*nt r:lf f*'is ccunf4y js rr srirh l:l drrfr/r:r,.afrle sriaf,= of lirefficiertrl,' ,'.s fir hej,+crt,',rrc/in fl:e rrictriious i,ri'lpnif;;tr*:e l,u'ilic* the wi;,'xers h;rt,'*r I:cr;,t: crusr:r"lragled ,ftl i:flla*h fo Fr;lr/lisr::ellfdry"iildfrbn... i heuisve f,hitf fJrlrirui,\Firl{: /rf.:rldt, wrii i:syer be reli:itrserd f;y suclt lrearqs. So I decJa,-a trt ;'a m:r*r ,*l' Llirca;f Jndi;sfrial Orqmnil;*fiun, r':rof as a Inei]/ls, i;ut fl'ie wfl*rrefuy fl;ci tvc,,rkgl.s n;;r,r; iddir,q;*f*/y'oi'errfhroi,,i; the capitaiist s1','iiftlrlL atr,',J i:ec,::;rt-rl*- ilcfual cortfn:/,tkrrS r:f ffueir tr:dursilrral/ and saciaf
r.nECirI$i
iJr:*sfti'l;n "
'tg
â&#x201A;Źlonc$u$E,mn The period '870-1S10 was characterised by rnajor developments anc shifts in the Brilish union nrovenrent. Despite alternpts to 'incorponate' it by the state, more radical elernents nenrained, and these began develciping growinrE re'rolutionary s5,ndicalist organisations by 1 90E.
Both anarchists and Marxist:; were attraeted'lo revslutionary sS,ndicalisrn as thery became rnore and more disenr:lrunted with the attitude of the trade union leaders, the failure r:f iher Labour Party arrd
the sterile econon'ic determinrsrr c)f the orlhodox fr,larxist parties. The revolutir:nary syndicalist movement drera' inspination fronr both the French atrd Annenican exp,eriences, althr:uglr, it did build orr
the ideas of the inCigenous antl-stilte traditions tha: uriginated in B-itain during the l$ihceirtury" Thelre wene differingn views on how z s5,ndicalist unirrn couNd be establislred, given the history ef the Eritisrh triade union movernent. However these differencers, in the tactics ard strategy, d id not pi reve nt atrarchr:-r;yndi calists co-o renatin g closely aird nrany anarcl'ro-syndicalists worked within the e'xisting unions as w=ll as the dual-utrifin Eroups. Syndicalist itfluence had steadily spread up 1m 191fl when Tcm Mann returned fmm Australia to throtw his weight hrahinel the rnovenrent. The F'lebs League harl already spread syndicalist ideas through rank and f ile trade unionis:s especially the miners of South \4,'ales. ln fact hilann, if anything, v/as a little behinc{ nnuch r:f British s5,ndicalist thinkingy as initially he d d not rule out parlianrentary politics cr:nrpletely. What he was able to rlo was pLrt his plrsonal ptestige alrd organisationa ahility into the frrnration of a corerent synidicalist nrovement. British synriicalilsnr rnainly graw up in rnale-dr:nrinated industries srrch as rnining, trirnspott and on tre docks. Conoeqi:ently, lt seen's, the aims and obje:tives of anarch*syndicalists at 1:he tirne clid not incorporate wome r or woRlen's issiues. Histonies cf trahour during tris period tend likewitie to overlook wonren's contribution and rclles in the developnrent of the movement. Erren anarchists writing in the late 2()'h century about the nrovement l'rave autonraticml y concentratecl on men. This leaves us with the problenr of the rnissing pensons of history; women. I'ccordingly, the history of womr*n ln the early' stagges of British syndicalism, as with the tmrly stages of s,/ndicalisni elsewhere, is a hisitory still waiting to be written" [,/lany labour historians have algued that the British working 20
alass wfls, ancl still is,naturally cnnseniative in its ideasiand mutlooh" f,onsequently they arEue that syndieulisrn was a foreilln idea inrportmcl frorn the CCIT in France bv n few isolated rerrr)lutionaries ar:d tv,fls always a srnall n-rovernerrt witlt little real influt:rrce. Othen, r-rrsuall',1 Mantist, histor-ians have c;rnmcerjed that syndicillisnr did have s*mel infiuence but was an incoherenl: ,kiea and was s ryprly the forerLrnrx(]r of a mclre sop'r,sticated form clf socialisnr that ruiis to emerge uvith Ie Bolshevik rerrolution rn Rr:ssiia British synctricalisrn grew i:ut o1f existing soaial and errlr:rnomic ci$ndi':lrlr'ls and the altt+inpts by work,si'$ tt: ohange thr:se cnnditlons, 'flifrat is not to sa]r tfrat events in Fran,:tir did not influenc;e the British w(:r'kers' rnsvernerrt, After all, therm werc nrany sin'r laritles between the conrjiticlns In huth countries. Hlut there were also differences, and thpse were teflectrid in the fr:rm that the British ntovernent took. "[hie rovement was tc grow anctr spneud syncJiualist ideers tlrroughout tFer labour ffioverTrâ&#x201A;Źrht in the yeam leadir,6 up to the FirstliVonlC War" [t i,r this period in British srgnci calisnn is examineld in L"tnit 6.
;11
$qfleV poEse*;s During the nineteenth century the trade unimn learjene in Bntairr increasingly *ought nespectahility and acceptnnce hy ther statrr
An increaeing,l nunri:er rd uns[r:iiled workerm b{}(:ame unioniserl what hrecarne know'n as Ntre.\ir {Jl,rionisnr. "['hersr] r.lnii:ns were often influencmd by sr:lcialist cl+as Changes in :ppital's relatlonrilhip with the wr:rr-k;ing silas$es inrpacted on r6/omen, who weii'e seen by the lniddle-olasses
ijn
an,d
by male trar;ril unionists as; o better placed in the hr:"vte rat[rer ihan tlttp wonkplaae, and,; o tcr blarne'For the lack o'''nnanagers' (if nrit{dle-class) or inferio " {lf worklnE-classi The state at':e;mpted to fores".atltr nrilitancy arnr:rugst the workinll class by intr,:ducing welfare rrlforms an a mel"frod of social control British syndicelisnn grew out of existing indlgelrrous mconomic and social c,rilditipns but did clraw on anrd adrapt ideas frt:rn France and ltte Unitecl Stater:
The return of Tern Mann provicied Firitish sy'ndiualism with a rnajor boost ilue to his lrrestigel urithin the laha,ur m*vetnenL
Chc*ckEgm* 1"
,After the end of the Chartist period what were
the rnain
r:haraCeristics r:lrthe growth of lSfitish Trade Unio,ns and what ,ryere
2.
the factors; il"lat led to charrg;es?
llVhat was New ["lnionism and hr:rrv did it differ frorn earlier trade
unionism?
S,
tHow dld econoruric changes affect tsritish capitalsts ancltheir pttitudes tcr the uvorking class?
4""
),,,Vhat
5.
tt/Vhere did Britisrlr syndicalisrn drerw its inspiratiorr from and what ipffeC did this h;aye on the nreth,:,Cs of organisaticn?
6.
itffhy was the rettJrn of Tom Marrn inrpodant to tlre British rpyndicalist rnr:vement?
w*rel the rrain cailses uf tirrufflcierl strlkes'i'
'1.3
I
SU*rugwer s$,uggeg*iimns
1
After fh* *il.rrir t"t{ tl-t* Chazrtlst oeriad m,hat w.or*: fhe: man: characlertsfirs of f,f:e grow.,fh rrf tsriflsh Ira#r,, llnrhr;rs .r:6d ro,iiai Nrere fh** iscftli's tltaf /ed r'c changes? T'hie gi'owth r: union nrenrbership in the mid-l;ale "l 9'h centilry "fhey v,i=s nrainlyi in r:raft unions that scugiht l'espectal:ilitlf, wanted kr pr;rtray therrrs*lve,: as ilusiness-iike' ilnd soben in*irnance societies anri soughri a role vlflth;iii r:apitalisr:r. iniprovenrents n conditions w(|re tc l:e achieved f-hrnugh industrial co,nciliation and i.,!rrion recognition ihr,:ugh iaw changiai:i fpn:ed on calitalism by parliantentary loi:byinrg f,:,>nomic clepre*t;iln exprosed the 11aws in this *traltmgy aniX this, cc:Lrpled with th* inrr:i'*ased c:erntrai salir:n of Brltlsh caplitalisnr and t.hr; ejfects of de-skiliirrS;. raw workers bercorning inci"*asilgly critical r:f tire altiiudes of the unicln bureaucracie,s,. These wi)ri{.efii r,rrere nften iniiuer:ced by socialst ideas that had*witnessed a rerrivai. The greelt nrass cf unskilled nterkers anrj wonnen r,vere noi u,r1;rlnised and wenl iiri'gely ignoreil by trrfl arist+cratic c;r-.*ft wonkers sr:r 1l"a[, up untii the l iii]0s, therer u'i*,iry ir() pernlanent e st;:blisl-red r;niori* fl:r unskilied w:rkc--rs.
)2-
[A/haf w,$* ;!e,w Linio,,-lisrn anJ haw did it dlffer fr(]r'i.l #fidrer fraijE
unioltis,rn?
[{ey; [Jnionlsirft was the narnr; given to tlre fs]rnlation of gener;rl unions tha*, organi;=cl unskiiled wDrrers and challe lged the uiuer 'aristoci-atic' cratl r:nii::ns. These irnir:ns were gftnâ&#x201A;Źrrliy niore rnilita'r'l rrirrj poii+,icised ernrJ less; in*linr=d tc :ieek any asc#rl'trlrodation vurith tlit; ei:,lDlo,vers.
;].
How did ecrrr"lrirni* rhanges al'fecf Brlfish capi mlisfs anrJ therr
at$flldes
fm
ttt,* ut,urfuing c/asliii')
Inr;reased cornpetttion fronr the hrgh invesin"lr*rrt ecurronries oI Ller,'nElny anc ihe Liniied States se vr p.rrofits clecmasrnE. l'h*re u,ras also ecorionrie eleJ:resi-rir-rn' and low 1;rodur;tivity ffirc '*o the en:ployenl tried to find some ;ur1 of acL:orirnrccia+.ion v,rith ther urrlons. This lecl lo iher spread of bai'[diining pruceclures ancl son.'lr: vi6i f,ls reforrns aintrd at r:urbing union niilttsncy arnd encruraging ie 'i"e$prln$ihle'attitude 1.cr ir:dustr-ial relatians,
fconf 'J.. t
4.
What were fhe n:arn causesi of uncrffic;ial sfnkesl) l-here was a grrvuth in union bunremucracy and thrt:se hureir.lcrats, smitten 'n'ith their new-fuund status, soon began to take on sonservative attitudes" The Union l*aclership becanre reluclantto call any strikes that rnight upset thein 1;nr*d relations wth the employersi, Union rer:r gnition and rnaintaining negotialing rights hacante an end in itsr+f. As a resul't, tl'e union officials; carne to be view:rl with suspicior by ordinary unir:r members. Tlrely appeared remot,e and cut off frc rn the shop floc"rr. This, added to the fall in living stan(iards, resulted ir lhe groath of ul rpfficial strlkes.
5.
l,Vhere did Briflirl synd{calisn drlrw rfs and what i:ffecf drd fhm haus nn fhe n:eiffoods of organlsarfrnnT Eritioh syndicalsm drew on the ilrdigenous arfi-rl'late traditions of tht; British labnur rNrr)vsn'lsrl aE well as being influerr,:ed by the praaiir:es of the Frenc:tr CGT and ideas of lnciustrial Un onism fronr the [-lrtltecJ $tates. Ttris meant that scrrne syndicalists advocated a duml uninn approach by setting r.lp revc,lutiohary alternatives to the existirg unions. Cthr:rs sought to influrlnce the existingtunions fronr insialr+ through amalgamations into inch,r*trial unions arrrJ through the sprearj of revolutiona'v propaganda. l"his honrever dirj nc,t exclude ffiâ&#x201A;Źn1r 611srfiho-syndicrlists from working within hoth gr-oupings.
d;.
l4Ihy uuas tfte rerlurn af Tam fuflarrrr rnlpo,rtanf fcr fhr; Eritish
f mov errnen f ? T'orn Manrl was ,a weil-respecterj figLlre in the Bnitish trade union nnoveunent due tqr his previous invrrlvenlent in the fr:rmartion of the sXnlcil'caits
new unirrns at the entj of it-le 19th century. While in Australia and New Zealilrrcl he had becrtnte disillusioned hv refonnism anrl parliurn*ntarianirsnr, artrl becorne contrificed by synrJiurlist ideas and tarLii;sr.
gs
S6ome dEss*ws*Eom* po$rxftre What ane thr* sirnilarities and riifferences hetvr*en the problenis facing the iucrking class at ttre heEirrning of ire twentieth century and tuday?
What relevi-r'leB do tl're iwo str"ategies rrf thr"L []ritish synclil:;ttris..ri, dual uini,'lnisrul ienrl 'br:ring Frr:lrn within', hilr,rr":'ktr ar'larchms5,rdi$ailflts Irr Britain ti:cjay?
What does the annroet total aLrsence of acceurit* ml:out orfrr:rn women in the'early stages o1'British syndir:alisnr either in original sourca materials or ir late twentimth-rxtnturV histr:ries of the movenrerrt say about wo'rr#n's position lr seiciety'? Whrat dcres it say, if anything, ahout early British sSrnr:Jicalisrn?
Faer&lrer RexmdEmg Bettl'Ernri i{usseli. F.*ads ts Frp#ric,[m; SmmiaIisra'r, l\narchisryr am,r! Symeflirntisrm. Rouiliudge, 3rd eclilltifiir'I, tSS,5 (oriE. p,uhIished in '*$,fre]. lsffir\l (}4{$ffis8s39. fl?.s$ -&*(. Dertai!a:il, reat:Xahie. and contF|{,51lr?lrsirre, nof an:a-cilo-syndicaIi*;t in pe;t'lip+-lctiue but higi-rly reci:mnl*nc|e:tl as a *cnteniprtrary, critical anr1 *rrg;aging text. EI,mh
!"lplE" ffinitish Ssrnr$icatrisrn flSffifl'{4. Pltitm Fres,sr. '!S63. l$ffihl
;3ffi3p29 -Lr$t*nclarij ll n:r-1 probabrly the berst ir.li-noirnel lebaur lrist,rry book fnr (IimuC deti:il but ea,ii iy reactable ;:iut"irnc! fiilvering Ll rrits 5 and ti.
ffi$Iffi4
1l"t*
r:Lnd ;1,':cessible.
,,imhrr ffiL!ffii|" The .Skrw ffinitir*]tu tr
BurninE Fus*: The l""mst His'itlry of the Ar:archists. F'aladin. ISHFJ $5fl6{}S2255. -L!.
h*l cl,ilv br;ok ry[ it's kinr:]-Eritisi Anai'chisn: frorlr an,4narchiat
pluint rlf vievv-nr:"inr sac ly' cut of prlnt". [1' you ciln fin,] a i'r-rp;r, se6 r,rs 6.rt*;inl li,' crlr*prl r+r"l ll' An arch is nt n n d t h e Cri g ns of th e: Sy rrdical ist i
Ftevu:,11,
1
ESfi-'1 fi
1
t]'.
Jmhn ["uveit {md}. The Wortd of [."mh*,Nn: ffi f] H (imie" The h'$mrve.siten Fress, 1S'[3 {Sir"st ptihiishr,d in 'lS'{3 by fr: &e{1, Lmnrtrtlm). Fmrt qrf "Sc'ciety & Th* \{irfmriam$", nm.
7Spff]ffi.
'i't.
lSBru 0$m't
..1t""
frt"lnrprehensir,re and contelffipot"irrv, as with Rusrl,=li's text, this is n*nt'rrnunrlable fmrthe detail of Ii,rhrluir ltist*ry n**ther th;n for the a
narr':lto-synr:licml ist v ltlw poi nt.
fleIiImg, A t-{ir*ttrry of Erfitfr"qfl'n T'rade [.Jnipnisn'r" i]enguin. -Hfimneral history r:f the trarle t"lni*"r l"rtoli*rrenrt, bc>th refos'nrist anu:tr i;y/l'tt-lir:alist, t+speL: irllv uiseful h:r tlre *arly period. F'*lr*;rurX'
$$163.
,AiheFi fu4nl**q*r. FIrs't FIigt'rt: T'h* ffir girus mf Anarchr:-Syndical[mmt lm ffiritmin" K$N.- pararprhlets. [1.{}ffi -rhK,A hrief skgtr:h, i'rorn Ohartkiimr tn l,he 197{.}s,,,r,rhich gives sonrn c*l,tt*:l* t* th* pre-lv:rr periot:i in []ritair,l,
The rudustrial Syndc;a{[st" $ptr$resin'mn. i$ffiN 0S512,4081X. -LlHardbu:und facr;il'niles of the tant:,Lis nronihly paper, now getting harcjr:r'to fint-1 in seconcl-hand shr:prs e nd lihru'tries. Wcrril'r the search 'thq:uUir, i'f ynu rarr= *ftrli' riii"ect soLirLie rr-rat.e[i*1. ;17
F"nein. Geongie *'ilra* = F}*rsomal $?ecslleatimns tx1f the Anarchisl P;rst. KSL pampi"rlets. l$ffif{'t873605G56" fi{,fi{i -f,i&
Cores wasi ; *ho*rnaken, anrj anarchist actlvist from the 'tr Etttls urnii i939" This is,n,iCm-ran"cJinE, but ilrcludes hrl*f nienti*ns r:f the .:dicalist Rer,'c[t nird after. S'r
Urofficial Ref#rnl
Omnlrt"littee of tirre South Wa$es futrirrsrs Fe'deration. T[n# n[lners Next 5te1:, Fhoenix Frqrms. l$tshl
S{}.+89842'!X. Et
^:50 -StK-
[n
1S'12, this is unr: of the rrerrr fmrv finglish-langLla,rre S'i'rdicalist dr:ct.rmeRls pr,rduc;eid by u;errkers, fi"r'r'f/()fters, in a p:iir-icular indL.rstry, l\ ".5uEgested lichenre fr:r lh* [{*organisation of in: Federation . \,Vith an intruidr-rct gir fronr l'(L.jh;t arltivlst Dave Puplishr+'.1
lf
-rr
rllrqs
Notes: The furher reacling ourtiinerl is not designed ls kle an exhau$live bil:liography or a prescriptive lis1. lt is desrgned trr provide s{)rne pointers for lhe rerlerwho is intenested in taking thetopics raised in this l-ln tfurlhsr. ln addilior to llre above, it is ahry;iv worth consulling your local library ft:r general hislory texls wlriph do cover ths period, althor-rgh thery invariably urndersla'er the leavel of worfti r,; clalris organisatinn antl ac"tivity. To assist O0urrse ll4enrbers, lr indlcatiot't is given aklnEside each reterenc+ as to how best to obtrain it. The codes are as follovr's: -l-ltry libraries (frorn local to university), -AK-aLvarlable from .qK l) slribution (Courrse l\4ernher discount sch ane applies if your order ihrough ,5elf Etl, P0 Box ?S, SW P[)r], lVlanchester li,tl15 SHW), -BS- try gc,c,d booksl'rops, -SE- ask SelfEd aborlt loan$ or offprints).
2Fi
Uxxt** 6x
RevoE eutxono BrHtaEctre
.ffFe$s
" " '* n , "
UnlE*
and
Synd*x:a EEsm la"e*ahdu :ig,910*13 nr$r
a*rns
$ x-:r
*;ox
Analyse tl'$ tacfics and str;ategy of the Britistt synciicalists frorn 1$)1Cl-1S1tt
[-ook ail thrE extent of syndiualist influence rlr thin the wor]rin1:tr clmss.
Exarnine tlhe impact of the inclurstrial unrest o{'
'191
fl
SH
1
914.
Exarnine the impact crir thtit svndicalist n-rovgnrent of the eruttbreal,i crif'the Great War im '1S14, Disctrss tlrr) successes ani:il failures of Britirrh revolutionary syndic;:iiis n, its tl'leorr,r mnc] tadlcs.
l^: I ndustrial MIF
ll.IlRff
-
nrovenlen', after 1913"
Terms ;ilnd abhreviations f$lff
0
Briefly cnrlsider the lrish s,,rnclicalist rnoveni#nt. l""ook all thE reason= t,u5;nr:t the regrouping of the syndicalist
;qiynd icail
; SoLrth Vt/ales
: LJnnfficia|
h/n
ist Ed Llciation League
iners'
Felil enmtion
t,?eform Cornrnit',*e
,l[SR$: Amalparnated Society of ftnitway Seruarrsl
[Bl-: Industrial f <tmocracy League EET##: Buildfng 1-rade ConsCI,lidrfi ion fiommittee Ell/l/l LI : Bu i ld in g \r'Vo rkers' I nd ustt i;*l U n ion
llliLfi
llnd Eritioil' 200'l
H
*ry*rodus jk?om
This Unlt fol ctws on frorn {Jn t 5, v,rhich rlesor-lhred the dqr,relopnrent oli thri revolutionaq/ trilndencies withln trthe British lahoL]r nrtwenrent oven thrb forty-year perrr:irJ "1870-1910. T he four years thrat followed saw ian uihprecerdentedl wil,'re of rndustrial unrest sometimes c:llled the Syndica't[st F{evo/f. Theiirr+ years, irnnrediettellr precerJinE thE First World Writ, were pivotal ilr tlre tjeve|opwirent of revolutic,nalr s5 ndrcalism in [3ritain, nrarking the elrnergence cf a reeognisah,le arrrd ccr-ordinated t:-tcrv(rtnent for revolr.rtir:nary ahangel thrut wail 1o grcrw raprkily in nurnh*m und in influencerr.
E.ac*Ec$ 8a Sftrateâ&#x201A;Źip$y
I
The convei'sirrn of the Frornirrrll-rt activist ancl f,nrl.ner smcialist politician Tom tr\4arrn to revolutionat't,/ syndicalisrn c,rlncided with a turrring point in theirdevelopment ol the movement {sme Unit 5). Following a trip to Firance to visit tlie CGT (see Unil! 4i hy Mann anrl theiwell-known annrcho-syndicalis Guy Bowrnan, they launched th= Br'itish syndicalist'revr$paper lndustirialS'yrdica/rsf lrn Jurly 1$10. Tl-is w as followed by tl'e settlng up of t re Industrial $ynclicalist Educatior [-r;i*gue (lSEt) in ,,lianuary 101 1 , Tt-re ISEN- and lnaursfrim/ Syndicalitiil' wiare inrportant iri '[hat they dre;v tcglethrer wha'[ hmd lirrnrerly been a sclattered revr:rluticnmry syndicalist hrovenrent. The [$iHL was aisn alrle ir: attract cc,nrtiderai:le support fronr outsidqr thel establishetj s}/nclicalist onganisrltions, drawing ilctivists fromr thtrl wider trude i;nrir:rnr "[-he nrcrvement. ll:]EL was an immeriiate succe$s, ,F,art of whic;h cart b+ attributed to its adoption of a 'braring fron"r within strategv" \A/ith this strategy it envirsaged grourth tl'trough working ilithin, and ciianging, the existng reformlst unions, rather'[han l:he'dual union' c1,i.ion of developitrg entirely rrew, nwolutir:nary unl,Sns (see Unit 5) Tlre ISEL actecl asi a propaganda (ilrcup that sor.qhtlto win over er'iistinE unions to ,Syndicalism, ancl thus rnanaEed 1:rx expose s]/ndicalist ideas tr:l a far greater ar]tJience. The l$t:rX- arEued thatt til'rltr fNe,trtr in l.he dLral unirrnist strategy thzrt had been asfu'mcated by s;onie s\,'ndicalist organisettions up until tl-rtis tirne was t,hat it isolat+d s5 ndicalist aciivist:i in the workplacm.
'tr'he+
nc!,nptioTr o'the"boring tt-r:ln.r uvithii'r'iapprc)acl riid resr:lt it"r s*ilru syndir;alisl.s :rnr:l anarcho-syildic;ltli*t;* refr.:slnr1 tcr beconre ir+ur:l,,ri*d in thev wcrr[,; cf tlre ISF-L. l-he 15[P^HAiU, thougir Fresenl. rrji th*r $l:]Li::L $onfmren,:es,,CirJ Iargely hn\,:)il th* orgarrisatron and hcy;nure ;r umnstilnt cr il:ic of the L*rergL:rn irmrJ F+lrrnrr ir pilrticr"rlar. Ther
l{t.F'' rtrembei"arrd iiLr 'hanr nriner Ciefl"(J* Hrrrvev argur,*iX that wl'ral he i'r:lftinl' tlil tr-,r, as 'T'onl lr,''llilnnisrn' wii$ tl1:tfhiJl$ nlor* flti"?i't a fer]er;rfrort *I {rar:/e ur;lot'lt^*m on anti-Ttolitlcai fine sl. ,!'ltd,r#as /nriu,sfnql {-li;rclns w,ere *f'tirrglrr,,ivas r:r:tttri:itertr!y ler.relled m1;ait'r :t the'horingS fn;;r-i v,rlthirr' tn rr,rv#lritir":'lirry syndlca!isilr, find l"ras ber:n s,ince by ":6:rprt:aiec:h sur:crrl ttivâ&#x201A;Źt lefl-tvl ng 1:rirlitical h istr:r ri;ln't. i-luw weltrfounrirEd are these chriiSTes? Well, tlre ISIEL was uerr"taii'rl\r
not an anarrhc-syrrtlicalis;t ot'iglir:rsation. lls r;rain aitractiorr
ell 'i:hr* i:irr* m';is its {j,il(} argurrrent tlr,nl rivorkei$ had 1o r;rganise into figlhti tE1 inrlListt"ial unlc:rils, based ,:n thr* r"i'rethcds of ciirr;:;t acticln. Thes'g were thei m:ain r;ont-epts put fotVr;*ril and acr:ep.elrJ by ihe cJe*lt*5tri1[e*,
attentling
tir* [SEL fountlinl:; i]r)r.]ference.
J"l
rir arS]unrent*
[racl t.l<:ns,iEiermrLrle nret'i]1, given ther in*f lfq,:clirieneti$ DI thE Lrflions at li-re* tirnffi iHnd th* tl:tr:t that there were $(]in:r 1 'X ilCI uninn:; lr: liritiain, r-lfl-rixr ,;:omlultinU uvith each r:ther for nr*nrhtl'8" h'{owever, tl"lrl nSEL went
rrerely Lleing rili'r orgal.risatl*u'i rl5lnring fr:r grea:elr union antj ni.,rre direi;t ar:tioil. r\s clernonsirat,:]'J by 'riev,rs c;f thr: lilJh*trl;:/,S,yncfcerllsf at the f.i*r:r, thr*re was **onsidrrrable attentir::rn Elr,*r. tr: the;r rier:,r;ss!t5,rrt lint<ilrg ini:lu*,ri-.ri r-rt'rronism'vtlili the neeci fi:r r"\,rv()fl I[rr3r"rflr'y *l'ti:ng1e- hVritinE irr tl-lcr v*ry first issue of ]n,Justrial 5:iyrirr:rlr;m/isf, l\,'li{flt-l r*rar-,Le clarifled lnclr"i n[riai l-lnionisnr r1'siatiriE: L:+5rnnrJ
enmr;n[6allrrrticln
''.
.lf
r'r
ji? i,uxlr ar;rr/
mefl:pd.
*f
rt/'frade unt?)ns, l,t,'hich u*r+ll ;T\,ur,r,,#dll';lr;ci erie;riiy re'r,o/ufion*ri, revalut{at;;ely lr; fiirr, her.'rlr.il;e jil vy;[/ he nuf /mr
r'lett,n6i*neru/ itlderr:tioll
il*Jfr: *fl t,t/#rt*r)lri ;rs ;r c/a"ss.
lt,'ct c;e,ns
u,,j// *lrer
ilh*;:ftrr/llir:n of ti;e,rage...there0p,sri)okirul;r fo
c;hangr;r fhe sysfenl r:l/ sar",iety fi'r:m calrtt*ili*;I tm srnclslrsl. "
ArnclnEst thrrse iristr:rians atterrl [iirrg
t*
casrt l]ritlsih slrndicaiisrn
*f thl*;'lerioul as ref,rrt irist, nruch l"r;isi Isimn rulnde of the issue of linking c:r:riltiritn-i*rtt fctr th,a nr;ad to linrit,qtato ,-r()ntr$l with su.:ppod for liniiled
pi:ttli;,rnrenfuary aftir:il. Ll;rslrrubtedl!, ir l1:iallv, il\{ilnn ;rnc 'others stiil saw s;oi"lr(i rnl* for soci;rlisl, pariles an* pariimnu*+ntirry aL:tiorl, rSLrt by 1# 1 'l , [tc* h;ul ru,]*crl.eil th,e ltl*lris af state r:r:ntt c:l of irrelustry, r-i*,ir:[aring tha1
s1'rrdicalism 'rnearl$ the cantrol af ,trldustry by str*nd,rr:8fes eir union o;F uil)rkers in fhe,,rnfsr,resf of t/re entiro cammunity..."" By 191?, Melnn rejectecl prarliirrnentary acti'sn i>utright, dr:claring, "tr-tlitical actian l,s ,'lo use whnfsoel,eri'". Nn the serrner year, he charrgelt::l hirrrself with "foollrhness ,r, he,,pa:lt in looking to paillament f* lai:ouf s emarrc,ipaion'. Though hr:i was never conr,llletely corvinced r:1 1:he ideas of ;anarrchism, there is li'ttte doubt thrat lry 1914 Mann w:;isl v<riy close to bi*in1:pr if nr:t In all-but,irame, an ananchm,.synciicalisli. It would tre ;iL mristake to fall irr'to the trap oF erJrrating the ISEL aliij Mann as onts;bnd the samer. \rVithin the I$EL,'[l\ere were miany erripeilenced actrvi:ots who, from thr:i outset, clearly rispoused an:rncl'rils)/ndicalist ideas. F:or instance Alltiih, who had nlrerrdy wrltten a pimrphlet on revollttirnnary unions iEee t-.Jnit 5), wrot:* in lttdustna/ S.iltdical[st in 1 9'l (,1: ''The industr[a/ r"tnlon m desfrneidf to became flrer rnosf power/rri rrtirfrumenf in fihe firlass sfrugE/e hr' ;shawing fhe wc nkem'c/ass how to lxole/ rn check fhe r"apacify orr fireir inasters...by fhe ,Cuecf pressure r3f rll:eir co/lecti',4r er".rsnornic sfreirgf/ri; which paw*r rrhlsshes its /'rigrirer;rf til<pressfufi in the t:amplete para/f iarrs of fhe whrlle etf fhe functions rlf cillpitalist sociefy IIy mssnc of flie r?,erteral str[k*,..a bfrike aimed af ilf.ie d[rect dt'td forcibla ttxp'itpriation of cupr'flniism. "
ln fact, whiler the majority of those active vrithirtthe ISEL did nrrt stiaft out as anurctlt:-syndicalistrr, tle ISEL and llriti$ih syndicalisnr irr gr:rireral were driverrr by prevailing <ili:cnonric and scriial conditions
to'irrards anarchro-siy,ndicalism. tlertirinly, by the nu':hreak of the lFirsit
\A'orldWar,thisijo.lrneywasvir:[ual:ycomplete. lnliltis,lVlannandtle lS,E:L reflected largle sestions of th<:iBritish working c:lass. FElcedlwith al'i ncreasi ng ly beti:+r organ isetn ci:ti:ital ist systerm, inr:reasi ng Ny ne'f;:rmist unionrs uriahle to defend basic rights, a nd varioi.rs socialisl or'!anisations vrho rriere ineffecfu.ra ;and virlually ignE,red the day to d;;lv economic strupgle, many \f,,'or[4,drrs came to reject p;:tiliamentarianisni and adopt tl're dea of direct actron and workers cc; ntrol as an afternative. Wherr far:ed with the lvorltirrg class uniresIof 1{;}l0-1914, the sti;r1e and capitalisllt were quick to ijlrop their nevv foLtnd tolerancsr to irade unionis;m iiind unleash a \4/iave of brutal râ&#x201A;Ź[rp6s,sisn. This ltad the imn-reilial.e effect of alvaki+nimg the late{'rt arili-state sentirneliil$ within the woil<ing class, dravting more of therlr i
io'hffi rds tl"re idaras ctf anarcho-synd ir;aiisnr.
Cfi*xrss Ack$e:tn As early as '19'1{1, anger at fanling wages and disillusionment ,w[th l:rade uniq:nsi rvati alreac]y widesgr"rirad. lt led to arr explosion of rrlaiu"rllt utttofficial sl.r"ik* actions that dominated Britlsh aLctivism for thrEr ne:qt tl yftttl"$" lrt the rxpriod 1910-14, tlome 1CI million rur:rking rJays per Vfifi[" were k:st thrcruglr stnike adiorr, and unions srrrelled fr"om 2.1 nnillicn lo 4.1 rnillion rnemrhens. Many,cf the strikes were unofficial elnd mnrkei,d by their insurgent character, o{ten resulted in r:vil unrest, arrd rquickl,y began to posel a dinect threfirt tfi the state. Cut.ight defiance of pnlimr+, mragistrates arrtC the n'rilitary beqinmre a !\ray of I fe for many ,r'ror[<
$r$.
Although the perrioctr crf indusl.r'letl unrest is usualllt tlated frorn l$â&#x201A;Ź)ptrilrflber 1i)10, rnitlt ttre beginning *fthe Canibrian ilomhine Strifiie in Scrtth Wales, there is evidence tha:tension hatl her+"r Erowing in 1[he 5r,ears befone tl'tls. Tlre period of irrrlustrial peace tlr;at had begun inr 189$ really ended in '1908. That year salw major disprdes in tl-re r:ettsn, engineening and shipbuilding irclustries causecl by inrposed ,#'flg{r rsdufitis:ns arrd leckourts. ln 1$}[(I-1(] the northr east of England ,ru'itne,sised a neries of sitrikes by the hoilernrakers in thrl shipyards. ln ,"Januury 1S1[J thetratlitionally nrorJeraf.*r IJurhan"r nrinerp went on rstriker against an agre*pnnent alreacly siEnecl by their urrir:n. These riispttes acted a,s a pnelude to the full"rs*alle wr:rking c;lss u'evolt thed uufls 1:rN tiegin in l!*ultl ilVales irr $ep[enrher 1910.
S#ou*h Wre*es
fd*$:*ffi
rs
It was amrr:rrg the rnining r;onrnrunities of fiouth Wales that t[re first rnajorwav() e'i'sustained strike ;Bution occunfed. Atfinmt, the grit:vances were o$ntred on wagesi and oonditions irt the nnines rrf t're Cambrian Ccrnrhine. However, the strike took om an increasingllr insurrectionary flffi':ure as it pnogtrlersed, SyndlcalisI imflr.,ten$e gn]w steadily. At learst 1:hree syndicalists were activ* cln the strike
cornmittee (Rer*s, ltulainwaring ernd l$rnith), and m,ell"known syndricallrrt nrirrers, suclr as i4hlett anci llay, hulped to sprr*erd the dispute thrrughout Wallee, fuleanwhile, hflELnil and other fl$luL. rnemhers 'werel fn+quent visitons tc tl"re arem. Tfre influence of sylnrrJlcali*t ide-as vras given added impel:u*l due to the farllthat the striker rr+mrminecl uirlrpfiicral. The Soutl'r Wailes fttllners' Fetjeration (S'flJl\1F) refuseri tc ahinndon its pdlicy r:f conciliatioil ats a n.reans r:rf seltling coalfield grirpvs66ps. Le,ft-vu,it'lg party politicrlrL support for the strike wu:s nnnertistent; irrdeecj, th* Socialist hllFls rlonsistentlyr ,sf6;ps4xxllrcecl it in Prarlianrent.
The strikers used militant tacti*s sr-rch as imatr* picketing thr>ughout the stnike, lVlass piuketirtg was usectr aEerinst blacklegy labour and trains rwrrying scabs were stopped arnd ihe scahs onlerec{ oif and sent home, Attacks took plaae on any collir*ries still operatittg arrrJ 3ttgrnpls uer6f ntade to sahr:taLgle power hr:use$ kept gr:ing lly ther management. f,hysical andli ve,rhal attacks clrr rn:ine nrfl[-]iegerE were comnron nncl, on at least Drlq, BCCa$ion, ;am, mt';elrnpt was nnade l;cl blow up a nrine ri"rirnager's hot"rsie. ln response, their state unleasl"reri a wave of brutal r:pprression not seerl since l-uddium. Troops and prllice were drafterJ in as large aretts of South \S/ealtir*t oflme unde,r ruurlial larrv. Cliusi'rel$i Lretween stril,;elrs and the ti,tmtr* fclrces were common, with lrocrps even resodinu to charginE wcrrliens with fi:xled bia,lonets. Tlre r:trike lasted ten mtlrnths and ended in defeatforthe nriners. The deailr and injury toll vu;ls also cr:nsidemahle; hy the strike's end, four strikers had beleni nhot dead, sn* harl died of ba'7onet wounds arrd countless merrtr and wolmen h;lr:l heen injLrrerC" Howevei, the strike was not {,,ntirely, in vnln, ttot least hecausr* ther denrand for a tuinimumr wage ftrr miners efl.rr3rfiJ,g6$ frorn it - a d*mand llhatvurms :cl [:e taken uri: b,,r miners na'tiruna ly ln 1012" A calntpaign to renort:i[ruct the $VUFtllr on fighting iinep also ernerged fnrnn the dispute, clentred on the slrrrdicalist-incliner* Unoffininl Rirfo"rn Cprlrmittee (UFIC) which argued fora realignrnelnt crf the pmlicy strpcture and icleolr:gical orientatir:n of the unr,on alrn6l syndlcalist
iire*,
,{-lr*
gnr:wth +f '.ire UFlC re.fi+:ctcr: th** Eruvrincl strr:ngth
*y'nr:J c;airst id+];rs r,inrcr-g South Walr*s rrrilerm, lr'hicr lrrtr to r:rt hJnah Ablet't mnci [!:ah Rees tcr tl"irir e xemutitre conrnrittee
i:f
the
elercth:;lt
of the
Sll,J'frjl[:"
l"he wcrr-lt r:f thr l-,lFtC lecl iri the+ l,-rt"rhlicatic:n oi' Ilre ,\diners',Ueut it\l,n ir erarriv 1tl1'1. l'tr'ris pamphlm't urr;r, t,: lrecnme hlghly infli;ential nnri lrprre**nls the orrtl of the clelmi-rr;sl cr:lnrnritnrents n'l ihe worlting cl;ass [* the cause urf rr=r,,olr.rtir;nsr]; slylliJii:aiisril" it ltas; draftecl h,ry i-lay nrtt.i [/ainwaring beflore being; sent *u1 lln r;lisrrussiari l-], rariners' h:rCEcu. Ff[er furtlieir i:llterations, thm 6:una^lphl+t was plaried he.fore a r:;olfrlrt*rr*e iri fiariiitf. ifll+l F,,Lurmrrs'fuet<l Step is ol impl:r[;ln*e because 1 cl*ar[5r cjryrnclnstr;lte*si t[tat" a lBnl;e ser;tiort r:f iuuth Wales rnilr':r$ had broke,n lvlth 't*f'mr-rurls;rn an(l siiltte scclalisnl'1. "{ frel i,ranrphlej "rrg ued fr:n' a de:nlrx:nmlicalIy cantr,:lled uni,rn, rmj*r;1*rel tlle ide;s c]f nlltitrna!isation r:i" st,at* r;r:ntiol r:f the rrrin+s and calleii illsit*nd for clin=ct ruorkers'c$ni:Tol *f inttrr.t*trX'. It explained that this wI]u {: cont* abor-rt b}i irn escelat.ing *;,Lntpra.lqn mf rnilitai-rt industnai actir:n, h,;rserj on irritaticln strikes, iiphtr ingl str.)ppafJr-,s aFd sabotage, ,Ar:;r:orclinrg to I/:e ,'[,iir,r;ers'Ne.x'i lir:6: thris *;arulpl:,iign v!r:ruld cLilminmtre ir"r *l flr-iol cnnflict rrril"h uapitallsrrr '[hat tvr;ri"rlcl leilqj to t]re establlshntmlx-l (.rf a co'r::peratlve r:r:lnnnrnnweillti't has*rl r:n inrlristrial cL)ruocracy allcl r:;:r:illlnturi r:wr-lelsh p,. "I-hr;* 'Ihc+ p"ruhlic;ati':n r)1' Adlil,lrus' lrl:axf Jifep pro.uerl a conslder"i,rhk* hr:'rsi tn' the cause, $f r;1iprflis,1t1=n'r. fitsV $x,.irHi'iter "t 911 , 'rq/e"llsh "rlti*s;i*nnri*$" were sE,nt [o all thn nra E"l coatfieltjs in Biitain trt 6:ui:i i .: is* synd icil lr s't irJ eas a rid d ist rlf: Lll * T'h,r.;, t14ttteis' lUexf 5 tep, X';itr,ir-[tr the* w+:y'fbr tl"t,* natir:nal nrirteril' strike, which i,+,as t* bi-eak oilt the fo lft\fflil(J 5/L1..jlr',
UR* refiq:cli.e r tlle Err:lruirrc; stx:ngth of id*;is anlcr-g South Wair,*$ trrine+rm, w'hica lE:ctr to the elerctir";lt r:lf [!oah Ablefl nncl [rJ :ah Rees tcr tl"itlr tlxecufirre cor-nnrittee of the
iinr**
1-he clrovdth o[' .he
s1,'nr:{ c;i:iisit
;$l,ldhi][r,
The wr:lrk r:f thrr L",IFtC lerj tcr thm pul"rlinatinn rrl' Ifrr: Mjnem'Merl iifeg: i'r r+l*r"[v 1Si'1. I t.rilr pi;nrphlerf wrs, tm [relcorne hlghly inflL;entiial ancl terprru:sr*nlg th* onr; of the clelulri::rsl crunrnritrnelnts r:I i]'ie wr:rkln.q ci;,lss [r:l t,he cause c;f r,ei,,olr.:tionsr\,:iy11iJi1;giistil" $t ln+as; dralled iry ilay e:itr::j [l/llinwilring be,fr:r'el treing sent *u1 l,rn riistussion b ], nriners' h:rCgrirr;. /qfter further ulierations, the p:irLl'nphie*t was pla,:rerJ be,fore ;.r r:;il;"tftlrt*rtcle i n f,+rni If[. lfh* fuf,rlrmrs'fue;<l S[ep is
oI irrp,:rtnnner beeause 1 clearly
r"iqnrr::nr;tr;rter t['iat a lange ser;tiorr of Siou'[h Wales rnin':rs; had broke,n
lulth 'rfrrr-nrlsrn and slrrte s,ocilalisnl. "[frcl
uri+nrplrlp-] "rrpueC fr:r'a r,J*mrl*nmtiualIy r:ontn,:lled union, rej*clrirr] the irleu or r-r;,ltiona!isation c;i" st,atr-: r;r:ntrnl r:f the itrln+s ancl callerd ill*ii.*.ed fmr Cir,=ct tuorKei-s'conl:r*i *f inr"ll"l*trv" [t exp-rlained that this w$rJ {. csnl+ aboLrl h}i i:n escalal.ing rrii["fl1:ii].iHn nf r-'nilitant intlustnai irctiftn, h,aueri on irritaticl;r strikers, ilfihtr inti stutr.rpr,lg3r--s aF{i sHbotage. ,Armt:rdirrg to I/re ,'[,ifffie,.s'Ne.x't $ilr:p tfriil *mrutpnigrr \tur:rulci cLilrriinmte ilr m flnail cr:nflict rr"riih r;apitallsn: 'that tr;ulik: lrr:ieii tr: the r:stat".rll:;hntLi*l,ti *f a co-r:peratlve c:or+rnronwenlti't
[:;is*ti
r:rfl indListrlal dr]ffiilcr-acy
afl(l rjr.)lllntufi *wfiel"sh
p,.
'Ihc+ Ti're* 6:nblicratiu:rn r)1' A'f,rlrmrs' ltlext Jitup pro'yeLl a consicl*rn[:lti br-imsii tr:r the c,ausr:, t.rf syr:dir-;a!isn-r, L3y s[-rNltriler 101 I , 'fl/e!sh
',rnil*s;i*nnri*s" were sE,nt to all thrr+ nra n coal{'ields in Biiiain tr: 6:uhii;irict *yndicillrs'[ irJeas arid disIrl[:Llle T'hrl lt'4rners'lUexf 5fep, piivirrgl 'Ll-t* wr'ry'[oi tl"r,* n;atir:nal n]inari]' strike, which i,ryas tfl bi-eak
the
f,l;, lo,wln5,J
iiftLlr,
*ui
f"x.a nsp*og"ft Worlk*x,
rs
ln sumrner 1[]1 1, unrest inras Dlready spr-emdirrg from the rrrinâ&#x201A;Źrrs to lthe transport int:Xustry, the dockyards and raihvaysi. The pace glillhered hetwer*n .lune and Septennber, by whirlh 1:imte largely utlofficial and often violent strike ar]1;ion was felt in itll main British prlr"ts and throughout the railway nptwork. The displ.ltes originat=d wlth a strike by searman in Sou:tharrprtonr, which sprremd qurickly to l-1 ull, Goole, Manchester and Lirlerro,el. A strike, ccrnmittee was sel, u1t in Liverpool, wltich Tonr Mann trl;afticipated in. hflann's presence in Liverpool injected uL syndicalist iper$pective into the dispute, as he argued for a dired: actionist antt-stalo, anti-parlinn"lrlntany, rel'olutionary approach. Addressirrg; 3,CICIO strikr:ns at CanninE Place hrl said, 'lSeamen hac( fri ed fo lnduce par,tiiia[nent fo corusich,r fheir case an,t' rectifir sorr:e of fhair grievances".-r)]rf irt effect flacf trr*en fo/d 'fo ,ryo ir: the devil' ...tf,*ty had appraacned individua'l shtlt ouuners anr/ glr)rernrnenf di-.petrfnenfs and rthe baard af trad'e and urere giren fllri Ea,ryre d-nessargre.". The baara\..vlas a bady of perutanenf orfcra/s d\ean fram tf-ta c*rpifa/rsf sef lr&o ;tr*nrilisfered lrm f,he inferesfs of sfuip ()r4.,ners. Ihe #ortrd of lrade i:; tf,et enerny of fhe *eanran. The anfy way lo rsmedy fh e siilltarllsn was by rCrier,f acfron. "
The dispute soon spread.to trlro dockers, vuhc ,were at the tirne mainly employed tlV the ship ovrners, At first iln,ckflrs carne out in sy,nrpathy but soorr put forward their own demands f,)ther grr:ups crf wcrl<ers employed in ancillary johs riuch as facfurriesi mnd processinl; plants joined the cirgpute. ln Gl;asglow, police guarrling the prerniisell ol the Clyde Sirippring Conrpanl, w+re attacked. G(*r:rge Askwithi, tlre gri,,rernment's crhief lndLrstrial fio,nciiiator, was girren the task of resolving the confllct Ltut, as he disrrovered the s;tril,ers, " had new {ea'ders, men unftrrown beforc; tlhe L,mplayers did nrf know haw to de,a{ with them-" ** reporled tlre "evolutionary rnoi:,d in Hull witlr tire totrl hostility to th* nredimtion o1'urrion officials. ,A-si l\skwith later wrote, when he, fir,ellly reached ra sefilement with the union ieade,rs arlrl it was brough': before a n're,Etir g of fifteen thourllianr-1, "'f ,hey announc:ed i'ite seff/erneirf; ,tnd belrore if lruarl n ry furn fo qpezll1 an angry roar af iVoI'rang ouit and '/ef's frre fir+ dscks/ I hea,rd a
-
town courtcihlctr remark thafi h,g had been irrr Filr"u dunirgr fher Carnmune and haar neyer seer; any"thing like fft,{s .. .he had rroI ATro,,,r,r']
-
firat fltlere were sur:f: pecrpie in Hu,,$ t,uofile/? luiffi fheir hair sfrearla,lng antd r':,r;if murdrE, ro,e,/in g7 fhraugh fh$r -s,frt;infs, smashfm'g *rnd desfrny'1r5/... " l\r'lass prickeling techniques l,ryerer ur,ridely usecl in l'{ull to spread rrx;HLi# 00"1 the offimes of E;hip o\f/ners *rnrd m't local Labor:r ox#hanges openr;'[r+d hy the Siirippring Fecleratio,n. In ler*"1:lon*e, troclgrs arliC police were nl$hed into the arrEra. Apoartfron-r Fiutl thene r,'ias rnilitriant nank and iiile action in nront nf thm main p,otttr. Ort llrtrerseysidm, wir{ire the orgetnrst;tti syndicalisit pres(lfl(]* wffi$ p{rLn'tiar.Jlrurly strong, l'elml fuflann firad freen invited to lemal th* stlrikm q$ff$rt at,an early sxege" l-le,re his owrl standiFg \t/as m,rrhannEtci by his lliery rarid unequhrrc;iLl hostility t* the liihipping
the di*;pLrte" ,Attasiks,tu'elre also
Frr*cle l'mtisn.
Thrs seamen arrcldockers strike cirnded in eartly Jtrlywith a pia(ial ifitr'ike ended that'i fLrrther strifirlt+s wr-rr* qialled by Lcrndol" rCor:kers, hiilhe"t'o unaffectedrby the dispute. The l*,pmdon ports werr+ ho,onrinu al[thl;l tinre, and tl-te 6r'ort authoritie;, ianxirrr",r$ not to hiave # reoccurren*e *,1'["{ull, rnacie s,lgnJficant
vir:to1',. [{oweverr, no $ooner had tlne
c(,nnt[.gjiolts that vrrer:: accepted hry thre unions" $till, ri.lnk and flle ac;{irllsts, inclurding a rl"lnrber of svndic;alists, argued for ctrntinuation of the slrike" Unotfru:ial ,ilction was r:)fli$aniffi@d and strikes quickly spreetd until the cloclis \uere []dralysed. fluliNitants leid the c;ampalgn for dinent aq:tlo''r. Fronrlner{ anl$rrgst them vuas l[ed L.egga1t, a c;cu"nrnitted ianfl ftth$-synd ical is;t, v,rho tnacl itionial ly llu:lgan h is s;:,eeches with, "l?,rt Ir:d,l"uEgat, fhe anar:hrsf." A,s fcr:lcn r;:hpidly becan"rra s:;;arce in the cerpl"[lrl, th* governmr,rlt intervenrl,d anrl A,sktwith was ciriled in to nrediHte, with furliher l;u:ncessionsi her[rl|; wrrn frorn tt'le gxovernment"
fte$[erseysEde Just as therrklckens strike enrled, stnikes
on the nailvualig. sector; it was nt:rt
h,eg;itm
W',ages and conditicrns were particularly bad in this
un(:on'lmon, for exinmple, for raillwlr*ers to worli straight 36-hour shifts. Workeni harj become fed upr with the Conciltation Boards, serl: ui;r in 1907, which lFrad pro/en slon moving and inethctive. The strik,r* [:r:i1pan on Merseyt;ide, where 1,fiJCIt.l rail worlsen$ w,llked out in iktrrour r:f higher\iuag,:es and an end tcr ua:nciliatimnr in eilrly August 1S111- They had lreenr (rncouffiger:l [r:'u,ralk ottt hy lhe
Liverpool strike camrmittee, whiclr rnms still funclimmirg even thctu.tgh stnike was over. ltlVitlrirr 5 days, the ulmfficialstriker haLrj sprread to include rii,Dtrâ&#x201A;Ź 15,0il0t railrrr,nay woikers art:l a further 8i,000 dc$kers, who cnrnra out in syrnpr,atl-y. With n a v&?eilt, the shtp-,cu,tne[s inrposed a geflNlra lrrck-out" Til-lis p;tronrpted ther strilcfir cornmitte,= to cerli for an all-or.tt strike by transporX, vvorkers 1t |-.ivstrponl. Within dirtys, over 70,CI,00 'transpott andl, otiter workers 'uterrl! #ut on striket, alict Liirerpool was hr:u1ght to a stanclstill ,A systenn alf ffftjcial perrnils v/;es intrr;clua*r5, 6ltattting etmployer:E -l"hre pt:rrnrission to rutovt; gloods, F.ast Ofl-fice anrl nrlill-ur rriaiclr companies were ft:imed to ap:ply'to thei strikers fur tr+fi^tllits" A re,atl se)nse of the workc:lrs takinE ove,r th<p running of indlmtry began tr: take hold. The tralisport pernrit sy:i;t*m wrs s8fr,fi rtsi m real threart tc' thre legitimacy of stirte power, inrpl'1ing an alternrative+ forni s'F srrc'ial "tr-he lital:rl orcer based cln prinriiies deterntinerd by the worltingtl olass" and iarlJre chralienge" 13,0fll4i,l1lroops to Some tcr ne;a*t this w;rs fiot slow nrrnthers of polilcm'Uurere r:lr;aftedl in. 'Gunhoats t,ir*:re also sent to Me'rseSrside, r,ui[:h gXuns tnalnertr o,n v!,r)rkinq clas$ atr,Els" A civil sarrvit:l'e ccrrps rnade up maill'lly of ruriddle cilr;ls$es was fcrnnre,rtr tq mflt als strikelirrriiflkerc in ciarryirrg out the joLtt; o1' fl"ansporl wr*rkeir* attci l-nunicipa
thr searnen's
w,:ri'kers who had .irained the strilke"
The stril<e brnught a sense olisolidarlty for th,l,l rrvrlrking 6leoptrer of lV[erseyside. lt atso pcllarisertl cli,[:sn, feeling as tlrr:r working claLns birL(:ked the strikerr;i against the rlrirldle cNasses arnrC police authorilieii. Tllra resultant heightened claes solir{mrity even ovtsrlirame the tri;Lrjitional sectilniati [ratred bettnreen l3athi:lics and [:brr.:teetarrts" ,4s Frrercl Bower, a ll-ivr:f rpor:ll *yndiculisl str--rnenrasonr, k:l,nn recalled irl hiit nrrrncrirs, the s;r:ctiltri,anr divirle lntas ;t-ossed as clamtl solldarity tc,ol'( pr(:icecJence. fi,f a rJemonstratirrn c"lilaflised by'F/llartn in suppotl lnf tlte str'il(ers, which he participated [n, her noted:
10
"lrire Gatsfnn llartd had walkn;f ,fIi,*r rniles ;;rrud theri dn.rm n:ajor whlil*d hri; rir;epfrc frurnet/ rvith orange *,rr# grn;r,srn r-ihf;on i*s lle Irld i.l,l; {:#tlfl}j$B/11' 112f ,{ rsut r:f fire Flr:trrlul #;:ffur;/ic, iial,r crs{ o,r fhe ltrr:;l/
6"rii;,Lr,:Jry
1rafip# h,t:c/.' T"hit rierric,r"rstri;'l *n, at r,*hicir n'eii';iol-;s rJifferencer:u were temrpr:rnriiy $\/ercci'llr, was to pffiye Fl lurnirrE poirrt !tr,vas neld on "[-he ,A"t.tgr-:t 1S'n ffis a pear;r;f'ul shouv +f sol riariiy" autl'clnitles ruriltl+r*hud rl brLrta a'tiar;[r on the {S{),ft1:}} de*nrtlnstratr:i-rr;, aild thoul;rlnr$s aifl p,oilice alrd nrot;nterJ trmcprs larft la;g+ lunll:t1-s of adultri', ;.lrrci r:hiXrlr*rn injt.Lrerl. TNte attacks pnc'i;'urd
too ntu*hr, ei/en for the cerpit,:llist press. Tt"re Gu*rrlian ri*scritred tl'le attacl.is as ;a ' .rJ,rs/:rfuy r:f rzirrlerrce thi:t i;r;n"ir i,r-+cil fhuse !c/hr: s,;ytu, it"- Fv+n llfteri the dern,:nstral.i{}n wils c,tri'lpr,rrsernl, the $tste f,:lrr:es pursueti [i] iii Linarmed failili<*s throuqh the l-.ii,erpr:ni sireete, ;ritr*king them ;-.ll in, ll" However, whr:n the pursuing r,yitil fclrr:*ta f'ulh:wecl peoplr: into'rrvorkinq fllaBs "*ineas, they r,'rere rnet r*sis.rrn*e. As ther Li,rerpool Daily i:)*ili d*sinrihed;
".,.flrrr rmsld*t'tfs fi".o& riic{es i,yiffl lfue r'u;iiers.+g7*ln.rf
he }lrolice. ihrc*r'irrp
i:ml'fies, hricks l;,/i;lfes ar;d gfr:l:r:iE /,,rr,rlr fi'ie hc,lsr:s and the ,rcri:f*;, ..frr+rJdt,,'t6 rvas l;ei afight, sn as !l rendr:r fhe i-o:rri iltpr:ssai:l*r *n fhce ffi (Jr"r,nttr'*.,"fli lf fili+:*, " Ti',te bm'ftlers llet,*eren policer ;lr':i:{ !!i#r[(in[J 6ias:; c(;rrmunities .tr]h,,, ftmes cJescrihrirj as "guernlta cnnii'lit*"rtl furr s*r',;eraX tiAys of wh;nt utrrirf;;irs'i In ,::nm of tfi',:r, nlr:ne serinus irck*er:ts, Hn itttâ&#x201A;Źfnptto free {r,nr,: 'nlilt.*r'ui" f'r$nl ilu po ir-:e,,rlen \flias nt#t t-;harac;t*ristic patrrlc by the
'tt,ith
ir{)r:prl,'whu s["tr:t tiru,:r rtrihingl dock*ig riimacl *ntJ left serrer;aX nren \irr)nr:)Jt injured, lifteerr clf wllom \ry$rtl irrnmiffie.cl to h,.gF,j'[al. Xt-le str"ike in Lirr<Erp,:;rrl endecl iaftrir"llre enrpk:yerri nracie
zlilrJ
sil;nii'tr:rrnt i:orrcas:iii)ri:ir to the strlkersl, How*ver, tl-r* r,,iirior influen*i-+
c(;insideritfile, h,ntl" d*rinU eqnd afte' thr: strike. ${;:r:t g; sr-rlrtlan{y anrtr intjusirial unlmni"';rt hr*d [:eeri'lhe ilrivirrg forcel; [:*hintj th* dlspL.tte, e'/,En enat]llng,; vut'l'[;*rs tff ov*rc;oirrlr or;cupationai
r.:f nilnrJir:irlimft'r wasg
-[he
str lr,e :r:rtnritiee, run (:,i] syndicalist 1le nrain co^rltriir',itingl h:ody ilring; ti-le clispLltri. T[ter l:iiili;"mit tsystell'l se t ilp bv the mtrilHrir *llmruiH'ee n-r:v:rt] ihe striks a:j[]fisi'tr: thrl c,::t-'rctrpL :lf workr+rs l;altinil ulirer:t *ontrt:l oXlthe rilnning oi -l-llrr:rigl-rc,u'l nrt<J
:lructarian differerre;eis.
prini:rlpl,es, hi.+tj betln
s**i*'ty.
11
the rJisg:ute, ar:ti,',isi"ti hantnrerr:ei 'i:re unequivmc:al
1t
s! rdicalflst nrellsE(li{} l-}ome" To qui"rlie one lea{l*t prt:tli-lilcecl hy sl'nCicallsts dL:r'[ng 1.hm disput*l; ',..f1-t,: ourirnlnaf,in{;r (:r,:]1i#fl,f $l'fhs i,ri:;t'J<ers strcuir:l bu ti/:* rr,'pftr* r:f tr'ie r;lear.is clfll.ri[ir:/litfif/il11". ln the*r,rn[t+: trf the Liverpc'ol riii.r'iKe, a ne\rv moilthflv syndicalist 1o:rnai, Transpnrf ilVo*er, was set L:trr. By Ccto]ber, it aiready ha:d a cl 'r.;Li!ation of sv*r lrl.l,0tiCI in the ['t{r,i "seyside areia, rlricl loc;nl s1'n,:iicatrist stler*t r:rncl publ!(:r nreEltinelri harJ becnrr* ir regular fearrlur<:i. Tl-re Lii,,en[rr:r:i rJispltt*" cast itrii inflL.ience tTur$sh tllm coirntr\r" [r4any trade L"rni;nir:r'ls fuegr*n jorrringi the syndicaNi$ts, aird an in::reasing nur-rib*t',af Socia! fjeruroL;riqtic Feder;ri.iul"r ({iDt- " see l-lni'l 5) i'r-renrbers vl,{}ie h*,roil overtr: s;yirtlicalisnr. This c,::iiltcided with tlhe Sl)Fs increasingly refeirniist pos;itic,n, concentratlng its activities r:n ei:?r-rtciai pclrticr n tid vittrially ignoring.l tracle uriiurn s;L1ug6le" 9,1ql-iJicaiisnr vufi$ l-i()w thei oniy ruro\,llment in tsnitain iedvr**fltlnU re rol i-(icni:ry r;irar' 51er"
S#ataonqnri$de RaiiB $D$spuâ&#x201A;Ź:e Bn addition t<rt the inrpact titrat the strike had in 1*iverpool tlrr:rre w;rs a ftruch wirjer knock-on effect Els rail workers iri other areas jo ned the dispute, Unofficial actior in Hull, Bristol, I$twansea anrl M:anchester foreecl the Anralgarnatri,d Society of FkLi[way Seruants (F,SRS - the main r'iail union) to,ral a national strrprprage of all its me,mbers. Witlrin rlays, all the rail !nions had jcrine tlthe str:ppage, rerulting in ihe firsrt ever national riilil dispute. The :$ernands were ce:ntred on pay, le'rgth of the wr;rkilrg1 week and an (ilild to conciliatir:rrr. The national innd generurl nalLrne of the railstrike led rapidlr'rtc n nc\fli, stronu sense ,3f irrdustrial uni1.\,among wnrlqerb whr:, in the par;11., hrlrcj been fragnrenl[nd by sectlonal Lrr regional interr:ists" There was aliio a shift towardti militancy in an industry where t4torkers had hitherto had a repltlation for moderation. Organiserl attacks oceurur,rrj onr parts of the railways stillworkinq" At Portisheacr Bnlstol, over 1,{]00 lvorkers laul'iched an attack on a working signal box. Traa;ks w:*re torn up and t*;legraph systen* danraged. 1-hir military ancl pr;lice intervened, rand the violence lntensified, llin Llerby, troops were 11 IL
Elrdei€id In to defend 1l'e rallway stutir:n, resulting im pi.c:hed battles, wltt"r l:hre trotlps resontirg wr:Tk nr$.
to bayorret cllrurges tu repulser unarmed
lteminiscerrt of '[ht: recent mins]l,si' strike, statrr b'utality was pulrtictrlarly feroc;ior-rs in South Walq*s. llrt [-lan*ili, tno,o;:* were ordened to operm fire on wr:nker$ occupying a le:r,rel nrossing, 1u511riflU two dead. h."inanli nrore were uvoL nrded as the trocr6ts followed tlp threir r***.qs utith m halrunet chnrge. Thr; two killeci lv'erq: tin-plate nraLike'sirwho f-rad ccrnre qlut in sup;ro,rt cf the rail wclrliert1; - an indicatir:n r7l'the extent mf Hrowiilg working ciliesrir exliidarity. lndercirfl, sunh solir;lar t'y was wlderir:treed. Synnpcat"ry strikes evern Lrrnke or[ arnong r$chool childnen In rm*tny railway csurtrns (62 strikes hv il*hoo| c;hildren r,i,rere recorded at thm t[nre). ln late Auglu:st, lerarful of the imililenncy of the vror-ld'orce, union leradeus called of'F1he sl.n'ike, and agfiecrlJto a Royal Conrmission, be#oru which allther grevances werell be put. This n'lnve by unionr k)o,qs,ilr$ causeld witiesp,read anger iannpng rail work*rs, urid niany inlllia I'r refuseii to retrJr r"r tcr work. Irr d;* cour$e, thtr* C;omnrission qier:lclnrd to keep the ccrnciliation systern intact, albe 1l inr a morjifiecl fornr. lvtrore workers' i]nger led to ar brrllrrt for a securnd :strike, and furth*t'col'lcessir:ns vi (ilre squeezeil fl"rurn the enrplcr,ye'sti, as union lemdelrs reiached agreu,ftlent uuith the Errnployers withoLrtthe ballot reslull [:leimg disclorsec. The decisifi[-] tt: corn$ to an ag irsement causied y€f: more riiscclntent ErnnonEi workr*rs a "d crven 100 hratrr:hes of ASFi,S pExrssr#d motions condr:rnrning the der;irit nn. fhe synclicalist irfluence ln tilre nntionail rail stnikir helped pave thel rnrrily for an industr-iial union of mil rlr:rkel's, and lire l,,lational Union pf Fiailuvonk+rs (l{LJF{} r,alas duly esflaLhllgiired in 1H13. p nev/ paper, Ilter ,liyrtd,tca/lsf ,fraiiw,erymarr, was Iaut',lr:he+d, in mppersil:tsn to the r:fficiill f?ai/luay Rerufeulr, and syndicaliltil activ'ists we{e F,trected onto lhe /\l$Rl;} executive. An irdlcatior-r of flhe svndicalist Influelnce can be g€rug{:{X frErrn motioms put before the uflrtual union ci$nfti:rence in '1811, vrlrich inclucied calls f0r workers 'tn tah.eir riineC ccrntral r;r'1" '"fhe pt'odt,r*fiue amc/ cflstrif:trfl've forcesl crf sp,*iefy"ancl conslruct an 'l"ndunfrlai 6,$ffixnol?kycie{th". AnotFrrtr rmntir:n calling frlr iln inrnredintr: enr{ tr:r "a/i conci/iatroru schemes, uthlr,r'l are imposer/ ortl fhe workers fuy the ernploying ciasrseii dind rts capifairrlil'hackmrs, fh,a sizlfe'"was rdefre*ttmrl by 37 vofles'[rl 1S. As in i:he rnines, s]fndir;aliisrn on the raifiwrly'Ei hacl nrar.le ccrn$id*rable gl'ou rC in a very shrrrl[ length of tirne" 13
Itq*at$oneruli
rde M reerrs' DE*$piry1s E
-[-hnr
The next
nal:ilrr)nwide iriciustrirll dispute wasi in r:;mal rniningtr. strike centred c,n Er nninimum werge f or nriners - al dttrtfland that daterl
brlck to the SoLrth hVales nrinersr' dirr6rute. The \iUelith tniners' effbrhl in tcluring meeing,;r in cr:alfieltl rlrefls and sellitrgl flltm lirddnmrs- A/exf Sileirp (the original{1{'J(}0 print run q.Jckly sold out'} e nguahly influeircFrl thr' declsion tcr call ur national striket. Even befrrre the stnike, the bt,rild r.ip was et'l{}L[l['l to caulse nea; pzlnic among thre El'ritish rulinE elite, Tnoops werr: rit;rirlly depfloyed 1r:r ccr:irlfield areas in ri:rsponse to a delurge of requeeits'f rmm lonal chief corr$tables, maglslrates and rnine,l)!ryners" [t4nn,/ unit$i were issLred w ttlr swords in r)asr':r mf hand-tr>..{iarrrJ flghting, anrci e rns welre necallertiN fnlrlr Territorial Arrny depots he(:aule o[ fears thnt tr]hrs] tetritorinis nri5;ht side with stril;.inE workers.. Etttrricades weilrei [tililt around rniner o\uners and malnatil,srs'houses. E,'lln the nrassiive rnilitary build r-rp wirrrsthoughtto he iradequate. As litskwith remmnktir:j; there are anl,jt B{,t,A00 toops availrafrie f*lr flte }}u{udse and the fl-{}tt'ff$riais rla,tltr.}of ri)r? tru:;ted".
The syndica [:it respons,e'[o the military bL,nilcl L]p was tc.r launcll *fl)oru'f ,Sltoctl', art anti-nrilitarist citmpaign, ceniuecl orr a leaflet rant'tLrtrctr w'itten by a Liverpr:rol building vrrrrlirrr. Worken$' papdftr"s took u6r tl-ie czrr:se and the r:anrpaign was publir:rised by Jirm l"-arkin in
lhe
J*'lsth
and by The Syndicalt,s'f [wirir;h had replacerl /ttcftisfrrsf Syndicali"st a si the paper cif t[-rerr growing lSEt-), fine issl"te of t'rq] lalter carried an atticle by Ricardo l\lngr:n, a Mexlcitln anarchos1'rrdicalist, who ar';tued that tlre riflrr that now $erryeril ttre capitalist WL:trker
colrld equally s,erui) the workers" Cther woril<*prui touk up these 6tleas" For er<mnrplt-:, in llkeston, D,i:rhyshire, the rnr,rnthly journal Da urn called fcrr resiittance against thp t:ivil powen'sta'iirg; "lf blood has fo lse shed, I cla nal see why if sfhoi,f # a/ways he fhe "[he master ciersr$ has gof euerl,tfuimE,rn fheirouvtt 'i,orkers' blood..., h,etnds: they m,ani;tuiafe fhe po,li'ticil,t machinery" ,l-fi,sy are backerd t4: b1r 6x:h'oe and so/dN:rsi, {ry'press aitd p r,tlfpii"f: "
The inrpendirru strike ac;tir>n rfl nd antr-milill*urls I synrlk:alist pr[rpaganda threw the nuling c;lass into panic. $iinaii,mlist tjissiclerntsi w,lire arrested, ThrEr$e included the nrilitants frorn ilnh,+sten mnd Fred C'ttwsley, a rallwaynran who [raLd rlir;trlbuted the ,l]t:ir'f lFhcrnf iealflet olttrside Aldershot Darracks. Siorne rtf the nrore prumimerlt incllrd,sd 14
fut;lr:rt i:r"ttl Ek-rvun:an, [:rlth,':f whor"ar
iMrSfr;*
tc
$#jnir:]tlced
si.x nionths in
ni, rsrr:t i"i'll l. 'trhis '];aused inlnii*riiri.lte {)LntriJtgâ&#x201A;Źr thrr:ughout the i;;lhnrlr fno,r'enrent, irr"rcl gave yr:t furtl"lr:i'pLrblicitv to X.[rr syndicalistm" fnC*+d, the strringllr r:f si!'rlri-i ilr#rXi$nr ffii"non(JSli i'nifiers is indimalr:id [:y the r'iurtr.]â&#x201A;Ź:r'ous calls dLtrrgl p;l.isr:"1
und*n the lncitinieri'L
the nlril;e of nni,,
t*
ato fu1ir'[
rriake the 'eNeasr: of Mi;:lnll ;1fiil mowmfin pant rrf tl're terrn":;
s#rttl61nrH:ft1.
,f\f1trr
the hulld-rt1:, the n:iner'*i' sii .rikd: of
il}'1
2
rrua:; reiati..rel,/
il#i.1fi*r'f["]l con-rp,rred wi1 h c,ttrer rlisplteii of lhEl timB. A, $:r'i:rllament frr,."lrf'ul url urlrest r-ushi(lr:j thrttugh le67lsl,;ll:!c,n agnereinu in rtrrinr:ipal urith a mir''rlrnum lvn[;e for nr i-iej's (thouEh i[ diri nr-rt st+t ri;ter] filever*helerrr*, ifrr;| ntin#i-$ voterl aqa rs{ this sr:luticll"t il t'irl f+r ccntinil,sc] striil<e actielr,
il
,
only ln have their rr,;lshee ovefturnntl 1r5,, i"rri*n leadens, ,,ruho onderer:J a teturtt t* wclrk. As in tre rail rlispr:i:e, ii'ris *aqserJ oxiri]l;e anrong ran[r itnd fll,* lvulrkftrs, anrJ n:any at first rr:1i,tis*d to return to r,llork. This t,lnliltrt sell-or.,rt hy r.inlcrn l*oatlers lerl tr:r [urt['r+ir irrcreas+ in syndicalist inilit'lrrtrr::* f*illtt,,ivirig ti"rr* s.l.rike, as 85,r1{Jir:rfiriist #rHanisatirlils swrr.llecl nrridui calis fl:r In iL?\!r() Lrtiorrary indr"rr;1lt',ill n"rii:ers'ur ior i:alsed ori the,+ id rnn
*r rutl r
i
n
r:cl
a
dvo*lul -*d rr 7hr", fu{It;* i
ti;'
fr/*"..x
t
Si
ierp.
1i: IJ
T.iruc&E*s a+.td By the end
w,)rd. The
Sftralhegy
I3;
cf 1912, syndicalsm had become il l'rousehold
Syndrcer/fsf had a nrontllly circulation of v,rell over 20,000.
T'lt,ilre was grolriinl; tactical cohesillrr of revoluticrnaqr syndicalist
id+as. The central airn was working class contrulcf the social
s5's;tem, to be hroLrg1ht about by industrial unions th -cruEh the use of the, general strilie, Ihe first nroves rivere being nrracl+ to cievelop thr, lSEriL from a propagartda organisatic:n to a nrore for"rmally constitute<l s1'rrCicalist orgarnisatlon with a c:onrttitution and *pen direct
d<;rflocratic structurr=" Local brarnchffiE weTe estsrblilihed and were a<;tive in all key iniirJstrial areas, es;pecially [-or-rclc.rn, Manchester, Liv,=rpool, Birrning ham and Coventr'1, Fronrinenrt s yrndicmlists helpecl
s;rread revolutinnatry induslrial irleas by speakinrg a[ nray trade union braflches and sociulist groups. However, 19t1S saw the lliEL. splli tactically aruund the lssrue a[ tritde union strntegtrv and the proper rlrganisationral '*rm of the rev'olutionary symdicalist movenien [" Those who slrp,r6lorted'bclrirrg fr<lm within' arguer:l that syndicaLlists should air-n tm -*construct existing unions on revolutionary lines while othersi, lrid [ry Gury Brttrrrman, abandorted the traditir:niLl ISEL policy anJ united with those wr,D envisaged tht; 'dual unioni$t' illlproach. The ftlrnrerSlrsup, intluding Mann, left the ISHL, r,ry'hile the latter, continueciwith the trS:tnarne. The dual urrionists felt that the ISEI- had laclk:ed a slear-cut rev'olutionary iclenlily ancl was subruenged in nadiical wage rnilitancy Tht; split fr-actuuied the grr:wing iiev,) utionary movernant and, altltr:ugh the ISEL continuerj, it lrad less iinfluence. Circulation of lhe S,rndicairsf fell, ther number of p;agers were cut fronr frl to 4, and it allpeared less rrftern. The 'boring 1l"'cm within' split flarn the lSEL" fcrned the lndustl'i;,rl Democracy League (lDL), with irnitial pronrinent m*nrbers including Mann, Hay and A[rlett, and the'we l-known anancho-syndicalisl: a<;tivist Jack Tarnri;lr, The IDL had rnore success thern the dual urrionist NSEL- and l[y 1[}14 syndice lisrn was regnininE orgattisertione strelngth. The NEIL 1:aper Su/tdanty steadily increrme*,C circrlation ov,+r the next trvo years. While it cau:ielrJ a shorl-termr hiatus, the split qiid not prove the gr+at hindrancer to the spread ol sl,rrdicalisnr tha,t irripht have heen er:pected. Synrlicielist influence continued to gr$w,:rn the railwal,s, wth both Mann and Bowman beinil regular sp*nkerul at branch meeiings across tlre country. The crreation of the hllJR in 191I1 n
'i6
br:ost*cl +;he syndir;ali:ii. moveilrerii, anql t[-r* 1*'i 4 arnltLl conferenr:*l wmll il,:minaleiJ by cailn tn end ci:rii:ili;1l mr atrd ad$lli (, irect zrctie-in ir*rthrrlds t,:tlu;itnls the industry being diri*ctly t+ntr,:llert i:,y wo&ers. $irirli;'*rlr,r, in lhm :liinr=ir,, Soutl-r Waiffi$j' r*lrr:clicaiists wr;rkti'--j within th* [:li::[:ir Lr*;;rfir:m anri in [,n:ducing tl"rer hi:i lllV inflr.:*:+ntial p;:L -rer Ihe Sruuf,fr 'r,'tr,nle ;fr t,l,rnrkglf, S1,,nijit.;i*lisrn alsl: hr*q;it"t tr: *h;alnengle tlt* iih-lab cji:rmin;.rtt*E: c,f t"he li".lu-hi:rur Mlinerm'l\rsrrr.:,r-:iiatimn, while tirt "iiorkshirn r:r:uillf rrl{l becv*"1.r*: a rnlntre of svndi*.:tlirirl o.:ntrvitr/ LrSr 1.he r:irthrea[< of'f.l"rq: [:rlrnt rdfr:rlrl War.
17
H: ,ct
g * r'nee* a"Ii *
g
Sdrnx"*ee*"s
ln 1913, n:vr:il1{iqps* syndlr:iBlisrn began tcl 51ru1n ground in othar sectors o1l in:trustry, starting ir'11 r*ngineering. Clrievances irrTrong en5;;ineering workethri had been gro'r\ring for some tinte, esper:ially' ilr thta, largely f,ernule trnsktlled won.kfcrt'i:,p, wl'rere v\[{}[T'xrlrn were Eenerall,pn pirid half the adult furmle wages. In:lHEd, it" was im tlriE Eeotor that a str'il,le broke ouI in t[re Elnck Countrv in 1913. The f{l"ikerswe,'re orllianised in the Sil:;rl<ers' Union, slltlcifically fonmeril to organise nrrr!crzaft engineering u'r'rkers in 'lEfj8. "n'he strike tmo[t. r4 rnilitant fioursâ&#x201A;Ź,, wtlh widespread p q:kets and sabotrhge attacks on f;iLutrcries. Troops and police were urarfted in to breah 1.he dispute,'wh D Mann toured th6 area on the imri[ation of the strl[ers. Support;ltrC solldarityfronr s1'rr,Cicalists In otht;lt' areas signi'fice fltly increaserl m.r6lpmrt frrr sy'n'"licalism withln the Worlcers' [-.]rrir:rn, esprecially ah'lcrng Vliest Micllancl Branches. Syndicalism nrlsrr grew within fie Enginemringt ,Amalglamation C,inrmittee, the serx,letary of which ,lr,iâ&#x201A;Źs 'lack Turne", nsw u nrenibetof tlre lDL. ,u snr:l other syndic;alir;,tsr ainred to rirstrLltrlish a netwcrk,:if fuftlrer local arnalglatnration committ{res that wnuld t.ri"iite engineers fn:im the various unions into one p'npagandist orEa hisation. By earlv 1{)'14, ihese had irrr]eed heen er;tal:illphed in atrllhtt hnain engineerin5l arrd nretal work cerltres and Ne+d to a hriiher"to unl,;rro[rVn level qvf ccro;N:ration betweer ,r)rsft worl(err; ar"rl semi-skill*cl afiul umskiitred wrlrkers. While not alf vlorkers within tller arnalganrartiru'i rnovement rrverti s1'rrCicalists, the* inrrl:rortant role of s,lirtdicalism is derilonstrr166 $,y tl- s.r pr4rularity of trho p,amphlet One Unir:n l"crr ltiletaf, Enfi'l'rcering anr{
Sr'li:rbr.rlid,rng l,t{nrkur"q, written bV tfirn uyndicaNists; W;Atsc]n mnd \(n,unl,l (er;itor rrf So/ic$;lnt[i). The parnphlet] rlr:ki '10,00ffi *mi ms wilhin tht; firiil. '1() rveeks, and'tlre irfluence continrlr*d to spreatl at'[[ grmw, even
wllhln the craft-clott inated unions.
iB
H*q:lli Eet
s!'nd
E
rtg
L6#'o
aker:s
The huilciirrg f.i-E,lre was ;lnc,i.["lr,ir r;imctnr rr;atrisl irJeiits arr,:'1 lrrnctioe in trhre [r*ild
that savy t'npid
gr.o*,vth rrf
*ptothe j-:ir,;lWorlij
War, A"t *rltlr+wh*re, there h*d been a,*y'ilcl ,lalist;:;*reserir;e li'ic,l-tc, 1gtii, lvitil,: 'f "nny ructiue iiS-..i.. rnrembers iri ']lilr;i hr:lidirr-1 trirrle. l"lc,rr,ever, tl.r|s pfir{} \-ryith il'inr growing alnli:rlg;dinrntfu)n fitcverr Ernt airrl the "r;*tfitil1;lcl Etui[ling Trade Consolidation Committ nrrer iBTCC) esta:rlrshed close iinlts ,un,ilh the ISEL by 1912. The synr:jr:;;rlist influence i.r the buildint; tmii:l<,j ii/as given direcilon by these clogqs iinks. This sl,rrdicalist lnil'lm+,rrrce
was especirilly concentratec irr the London ai*a, where
thmre rrrms nm nnarcho,s-\,ndicialist errclrrnisatlorr, the tt/iIIliurr Morris u<:rciulist CllLrh.
lhe
!3TffC r::allrrrj for an r"rdr",ti*trli:i union for irll b-r kJing work*r,*, lt*tst: clf tnt*rjr: arrd, im 1913, huiir illg rruclrkors \irll€](l tor tl-le iql,ilaftli];n'Ili:tir:n i:y l3'i ,l:irtr 'tr to 1 ?,i Sfi. "i'I,l*r X*mclers oi'ih:r various ltL,iii*l,llis uninnts, wllro h;rd set up LhE !-]l:o {ii$ iit \ydv nf rXi'f.fuslr-rg ti-re i,;:!Li€', :i'x.rsle Lo icinore .he resuit. l:lr+r.,r iollowcrj a ilr,lr of ilnofficilo. sti"ikei,c er*:p:r-:r:iall5r in thet l*nnr:il:n &rei,i, .At m rm*eiinLl l.lecei'nber 'X {i1ii,'lhtl emprlmyers'rr,:ii-1.:eci tlre i-iriimrrn that if their cor-ri,j not di:il{-;illlrn# tl-r$ir $,cui-l lr tr,,trbers an# sir-lg::i il"l+ rnsh clf unc;[i'iui:rl i'xisput*rii, tl-ley ruomld take ::ctitrr: themselveri. "[ri"le to their worcl, _hey duly *,tllo,J m lock-out r,,rhir:rr affectecl $iitriifr) ,10,000 bulldirrE lu,:,rliers. [.le-t]i1ri':
ir
'tr'hre
**,tt-illerril.
respons;e
crI
Some uniffn
l,!?;ii]tJels
was to biat
r ,e
the unoffir::illi
ilrqttnisatiorr r:f tl-re disprr-rte-, vl'ils taken ov€;r lly tfle
iry'nd il'nlists urounrl tl'nr B]-CC. -!-l'ri:i ulilit n* f"lit.ir-pris€i ^ tl'te}r fts6 Hlir4lrtltii/ mr"Eanisr:ci nurlleroLis mass nl:irlrtirrgs, prr.iblii:is*r} the keii Itsr$t-tt,:i t[:tr:ri"tgh thie pel! *s of So/idarlrlj,,ml.lci r*si:ecially u,,rr'itten r:nd ir:l'tri :r L:t+rJ m s:y nC ic;aX i s ri
nran if estfi . ,l\.* rclcn *ls n:he l:r;k-cut r,,r;;+ri derjlflffiai, ;a speciatr l"rrancl"r dcll*rg1*.tclli cr*llfererrc;e ,ruals organlstri:i, sJnrj rank ancl fik:i conirol of ther riir;5:r"riu *ecrr:reci. i\ss,il;"ancrgs wel.r* n'u;td* [hilt any aGrr: *r*ent vrouli,l [:el p:t.:1 i:r; u b;lilui of ail br:ilding wml lr*r"lr nirnel that no urir.rir !rr(]Ltlcl lr*g*tlatr: sull.;rurelterly" l-u,ro attenrpt,s [:]/ ur:ic)fl il*rilderrs I.l entj'tllr,: tii::,pl (,lr in th* fir-st $/r3(tks r,'vere he;:ruih, ilrsf616tr*6 fili 23 4.5', voters t* r"1
I1,il2'i ;lnd 2'1,il17
rnaiktltj
r.rotc;s
LiV nL:n-vic,ler
to 5,824 r**p:l::tlrrely" flrr lhe r;-reets, it wau
l,=, nri:iniy
hfri{lei
-irli€1,
'thetu wa:; ,,rj'triallV no
.;(:I]frDi"1ii.
l\lter fii,,* l"t.lontl:li" r*rrlplcryer"t r:tTrlt-mr:l a nurrlhr:r oi Gcncris$iot-lri, r:nl,i'ii: *me tn:ttir"LrJfer ItJrne{:l c{+ln;ri lil,,iih,i: striker* by 2' ,tJ*t} lrotes tr) "["his; pruriel i+(; rlriJCh for srri;:r uriir:n ieadei-s, r?-rr:j tt']ei/ br:grlir $),0{:i{}' 10
tu irreak rank*" fiuir:liter! huilciing lr,,,orkers sent a f islnctr ofl r*so!1.:,lir:lrr; to L;rrion ofLic*ru, lt i{.ll ffi ntffisjsj rneeilnil of 7,011(l w,;t,} lt,i'i}i1t"}is*r;j in -f,-r:ll'flnlgirn Squmra, ;i[ urhlcl'i r"lo uniotr ieaders wer"e l:lil,)uued tr: sp*ak, [tJ:rtrerthexess, ther rinlcrn leailers; hpLcl effecirrely':*r:rir:l t:ut the wsrkert; hry r::rackiml:l *peiri the Llnity arti tl"le union uigl*rrisationsl in the
a1;irin, d is
pr.ite.
Tlre bialant "l$d,ernrininE of tl-r:: dis6rute hy tho urrion l*aders kld tc u radical retl'linl,l ily syr":tiic;alistt huildinE wonk*rs. '[h* nralcrrlty pl;:viously c':rnrnitrr$d tr wgylu;nt, ulithin existiniJ Jili.)ri$, deciderj fo icii-r; a ner,,r r+volr-lti::nary buiir:lin[i \ri,Jrkersi' r-lnion, T I e []uilrJingl 1,'"'':,i-kers' induslrial lJi-llnn (BWl[]']. '["hris was an ii"ll"i ter:lii:te sL]cc{lES, vu'[ 'r
fcui-existlrr5l t:l,.rildinE work(]rs' Llrions imnt*iJiatBl]r luininr;. the n+x1. fe'rv i-lronths, thel Fl'r\lli_l grew sterarJillr, e*pecially iur r-iurrrpool and L.E:nlor, where sr4ndiualist presence Ilniong [:ruihlirrg '*t,:rrkeTS was airL.a{lri.'} $tr$ng. Tfirer r;rovvth of the B\A/itJ was ,:nlv l:alli:,ri by the cutbi-eak of 'lte First W*i'ld 'r\Jar. []i..irin:g
20
IrBeah SymdEi*ma$&srm in irerland, ar; in l:]ritaln, the influe '"lce of syi-rL1iilalisiilfl had grcrw.'r turn of tl"re c;,(intury. Actil![sitt \,vho her] ciear rrrir:dice-riisi lenni'rlgs were housefr*;,lc,l narnes b,l il:l'l?, including Jim Larkirr and Fis sigier-Deiia, who ,..,r;ns particularly activel in th* won-ren ',,,,rorl<ers' [,nr:vc)r"uent, and ,Jarrne,s Ccrnn,:ll5r. i-{olvLlver, ii musr be Ioted that sprrrc iri uoncjitions hai-l ,Cevelopecl ir: firqllancl througir thB rnerciless opprrrr,rsimn of lrish pâ&#x201A;Źrrple by the ff,ritir:il' state, and tha! i'epuhficanisnr wi,ls 1["erefure lt t-krrrrir;ant polrtical t:ur"Elnt at [he tinie" lrt adc]iiion, nuust pr':nrinent ac;tivi$ts iiever brs'lie l;::nrprletely with llre idea of
sir*e
1.hri::
6x:rrllrrrnr:rrtary ac;tion r:lrrd a socialist p:ilr'ty" Conr:eily wur; influencr:cl I:y
th* kjfilts of de [.-e,r,n (see Unit 5), :nri*; rivn$ iflstrunjenta in the fnrnr;t1 mn tf the Sr:*i;lllsi L.abour Fart',r, Nnveu"lhel+ss, sVndicalisnr
was n nrajr:rforce ln it",:lland, and this ti:,rcew**s felt in lirll during tf"ler Euirl n L-mok-fiirt oF 'i{)'lll-1a. "l-ha *prsude stillied rryhen, ii-r a i:ici to crush the ;1 rolving -f-rans porl & Glen i:la l Workers' U nion (ITGWLJi rr'lil ite r"icv,:f the l rish 2f) ft(it} workels t#t-.i-f; l{rcked out [l't ffiniil;llj+r]-rc]nt. ,a.s rn Britarn, the o,l*n[$i r,,yer* ntairkr:cl f,y' bi-utal retr-rntssi*.:r"1. At n ciennqrr
E,tratior"r
'foitrovring thsr arresi o1',jinr Larkin i:'y' thel in*r*i*sinUl\r u*n!cked state fcrrceii, pr+lice ciubbecj two worker$ trn tJ,=nth and Ief[ orr*,r400 injureri" ln Britaln, while llte official unroir i1'r{rvenrenl llr"rrilt:,rj their
tr: senclinq ntoney, the rank airtd fii* n'remlle:r,jr were prepar*rJ go rrru*h furtl:er. i'r SepternLle:r $',], r.iver 1G,0(lll lia lrryorkers tv*r.f; in',,r*l'/t,rr:l in thei bXoct{;ring of Nrish g*crri* in suppr:r1 of ihsl Irish 'uvr:rkirr$. This ar;tir:r"r ',ilns entirely Llnol1 i*ial, [:eing orEi+r'riseri by locl:! sfuiker t,:mrnifiees, and almrost becffinlr:: ,a national synrp:tthy strike scrXiciirrilry
tai
'X
1.1"r* empk:yers ser;ked tocal flrrtivir:ts for refusir:g':i:r work n*rrrnily. This ieC t"'o i* rapid spreat* ul'locai strikes in 6rlr:test at the
nitulr
si; c[<
n
gs.
secure(j t)\1 lhe union leacierr::, vtith va(ju,ri aciion t': he {:r6anised by ther Lrnion. {"'{r:wclv er-, th is nevr=r' ot;curred, arrrj fi.l l:l"ler isnlat*o Eyrn piathetjc atjiu"r,s continued crrrei the next fevu ryirrrrihs. In South l,i/aies, there wit* t! nrirss walk-out tf rail lvork*,rs mf't'nr ftoro i:lrivers ui{,rre sacke(i fl}i" r*ft.luirtg t* hnndie lilsl-i goods" lrr iflfi "r,,, areirs, Liniu["] l{t;1ders \'r/erft struu{llinGi tc; ir*e'p rrrr,:rkers frnnr going r:,ut ln supBo'-l D[ trheir lrish ucrrnr;ldes. Half ry rgs-xt.ri,,1!, a docknrs' r-l- ion r:fficial, derrli:red: ,i\ returr.r tc,
rl,ror-k rrvas
pr$ri'ri$fis sf a rr*ne,ur;l
tf
r
"lrt'ei i);:ye ha*d
trl rcilrffifi$e flle
tvrhr:lir r:f nui",trairJ :rffi:,:i,:Js ln /-cnd*t'ir
'11 tt
pladng l;hevn ii-t cerfatii cenf/-fl..; w#h f,he 61.):ilrisfiti ,prurp]uss otr preventlitg any :fisn,'gatrtsed ,i"Jrorzrj. lt ttas br:an u,ifh fhe ,EirHaliersi irouhle. alld snmer ,uf us ,tale nrce irred sfronE t'trnffkr {,foaf lt,e fuaue E;:: fnr held tl't* y,1'2y, ii: r;,recft. " Larkin err;llat-ln;nri on a speaking tour in Elriinin, end 24,Cj00 pr:e;ple in fu{arrc;l-trrrtlen turned out to hesr lrinl
spr*rll
.Sil-nilar nunnberns;
hrrr'rd him speerk, rii::ngside Conne fi'y and tlre A,rlrerir;nn ,S\inrjh:alist B ll f"iayr,vood ril/'iti-r r:'rer'7,00[] tLirnrrlr, cut in Edinbu iglh, an,J -r furtl-rer ,t,i.li-)O in Gli:sgt:vu. "8"1":ese r"run:ber:; denronstrate: brfh the supl:ror1 fr:r tnr# lrlsh work*r's;Lr-rclihe signifi,:arc;: of the syndlfl$litit n:ov*itrent in Sr:;r-,tland at the tinre;. As Larkin's ttirr Eathereci mor"ireniuln, his nr{lssage bec,rrre nriole explicit. lri the past, hr+ h;qi linrited ["iinrseif l.r:r aliacking the ct:r':ciliniory trade uni)-is and uni*rn lm:qrjers and c;allinrl fci'.ne organisntrern uf ''ilne Bigg [Jni::n" !i"r on0er "fr:,t,rs# r:urerx;rtomJt; p(ltl/er iorolrrs;.1fi,,1:lrun". At a rneelilrE in Sheffi*lal, chairerj by Baftrtrr, a li;r:al syrrdiclaiist, l,is message thtirl. workers shr-:ullJ ".:rn inemse[ves" weis rtrr;t with soiln,C ap;liause. He ais{: began to stres$ -,h::1 wor-king class ci"gi:nisatictr: shur"rld have a strr:ttg sr:cinl ,-iiniension.
Ai a spec!at '{"UC ilonference ,:alied to disnus$ the dispute in iir:l;:nd the TUt) le friders ovei"tvheirriilrgly cast tn,eir ut'rion$ v*tes agli:inst synrpntheli* ;l*tion despite the support {roni t"he rark anrl fiiq ir .1snuary 19'1 ri, rvrth strikers begirning to return t* rlrork, !-.arkin, t,ritr l<; r.,fficiai :irppiort tl'rom Britrain,'warl'brcerl to dec;!4ru: the disputer lrr:,1: ii:ii,vever, ihe i'[Cj\ii\lu continuerl to c;n:w, and lnr* s':rike had rarl r;alrserJ tlre lnish wcri<ers' r'r.rrfv'â&#x201A;Źflrenttoulards! sVitdifi",iiitsr'xi. Ttr're 1{l'14 lrish Conrlrrlur.i r:f Tratle Union:i. chaired hy l"-utkin, voted,'i:r i"r,ll air'litr,on of tl^r* *m ritnlist systen: ar:c su:pporLed *g:eic;ific plans for mililant aCir:n. Tl-r:'LiSl"i it rlld nol r-lrrlrr olrt parliurn*rrti:ry a*tinl-t, ii rri;ritrtained thal: in,lrstrial organisatlrrn was a neceii:ifify pre-c{)fiditi,:}"1 pr*litical aciion,;:t positit":n verv neErto hr.rth (]r:nne!l\r;rurq; for =ffective
Liir <iir's proposals,
aa LL
Thqx FEnsft Eftfor*ct lfiJ'cxr 'i-h* growirrg
pcrpru larity a ncl Eirtht,rri nq oiganisati l:nal nromentu n i;f syndicaiisnr !!a:i errti*d by the *r:tt:r'*rak rf war in 1!i14. Just pri*r tm ti'rri,l'rar, the Hritish {rcononry was enterinE a dow'nir-rrr that raras alir*i:d:r,f*rcing vui-lgEr; rlown and sri+eir'1r:1 a rlse in uneni;iloyn:ent. At the smnre timm, the no\r/ excessively hrrltatr state prrlicy toirrarrls thr*
r
fl\lrrd r:,;aii$t Hov€|msnl was causingl hsl(; lrtc*n*d wnrkinl:i class nt:rseritnreni and suveXlirrg the svnrllt:aligil: *rganlsntions. 6;;psrx1: fie:rrin n-.*allerl 1he pre-war" [,]flr r:rtri ",lf tl,as a perlr:rd vuhii;h, /:e/,,crl,dl, si#{3i } i;lns ol ttte
lirt
92t1,
if the war fuctirilc;t braken out' lrL,orJld have. ! Sreafesf ilr#r,"rr*trriai ruric/fs thr: tvarld ever had st?e;1n" "
l.h-+ wieJer is:sue o[ the politimnl rrlilnueuvring tha'. ]i:d to the r:uttrrtnlt of war is oul.tiide the scmpre r,Iihis i*iriit biltrhg timinE dealt ;: crusitiilpl bNr:w tn v,,orl,:€rrs' unrest a(lrilr:txi Eilnnpe. In ili :i qe\,rent, ii had 'the rlcsr;irecl effee;t. Thel forces of the siirnte anci thc+ lra:ts ilystenia th;at Ereelmi:l the ot-rthree k nf the war stnppi*d the syndicalisi[ r-novenrent in it-* tr;rc;lts.
[]ritish synrJical i:ltE as a whuln+ up'p*sied the rr,'iir thtrur ihe outset" they f;.nr;ed clrrstant harumtiru-r(;r"rt frort the prmliq:,:r and r:16allismd rnr:hs,'erhi,l;h broke Llp rlrrnillir::itli$t rmeetin61,s. ilinnrinen-rt t-i16l:lnise,'rs were r;fter the tirst ti: Lrr: tcrrc:iLily enlisted a"lr:i d!sappea.r*r-l *r'!rce)fl(l ltill*d ln ai:rtiolr. tsy 1 916-'tr 7, hr:ir.*,,everr, u.,;lr rru€8,'!ness 'F/as grr"lwil"tg anci nrilitancl"r*;as again on tltr: t'ise. ,At the srrriie time, ths ,q "rssinrl revr;lution aprprirared to off*r ir Lllajclr breaktlirtlugh for-the wllr[t,lir'f; of tl"le world" l\fiany syndhl:erli*;t* were dra:wn tt1 \fl:6ais1Lelriirriri;nl, and this r-1am;Eeri eny relil! hr:pe of a relriva r:rf syrrtlica!isrri i:::oI t]"fli,rr,
ilr Hriiri"r:htt-syndioalisrri after"tl-re war" '['h* cuntrai i'deus of *y'titX r:ailsrrr, s:r-tcf ias tjirect actinn *nrl 'rv*rkers'cuntrrtl, did rrot sink r*rithc,uTi tr-aae. ln f;rct, they contiriur*r:l'iri play a role in rrgirolirtionary thlttk
i1g a{"t*rther v/ff1- ijrs
we shall is+* irt laterr units
t.J
Ci,ecn**us*
*n
The lndLrsirir:ll SyncJicalist Educailon Leagne+, rfrt Lrp in iHnuirrr/ fi n;;iij,:r roin, in sh;:piI11 working ci{:els n*slsrance to crrpitalisnn irr ilini'Lnin ovsr E pericti (t1'sevei'al yfiELffii. ,['he ISEL'was c+rlainlv not aTi *rrrircho-syndicallsl: ,JrEanisati()n, bUt lts r:r:r* ,iirpurn'xent was tha'[ \vcrkers had io Oiganise lnto ir;rlL:strial fightinE r.ritinns based ,:n ti'1,:l n"iethods of dili=.ct aCion. im t['te faue ut stater r:1:p..resslon, Eritish :i5rno11*,*,,un., gre,rr,, rapidly intr:r a mflss workers;' nr{:rrenrerrt, whi';h |i:,ok on an increariingly' revolLltionary analcl-rist nr:ture, and uriars i:rrl5r str:pped by tfrr; outbreak o'Fttrs* First World Wzlr. fu4any sf 't.he r:;r"itir:isn-rs ieveiied at tfiis crucial ,;;l-naprt*.-:r in Enltish !a[oul history eLrer ii fmurrrjetl" F:ar fr*nr being cc)n6ri]rnBd oniV wil;h p:i1r anC conoitionn, it nlways cr:ntlri fted and nral'ntelt'l*.rJ a uitrong anrl o\/cii- revclLrticnary rnessage. [t'was acutely alnr;:r* {)f the nes,d for pilrtics and ther:rry fis a basis for e-f,::ctive strat*l;V nnrl action, and ii re p;rilr/ de,rielc:pr*ei g sophisiicahcl irn4lysis of thrt *1ta:ie, hec;oniirr1g ini:y,=asingly anercltisjt as a i"*sult. ruYith hindsighi, thig episocle of B'il.'sl-r syndicalisn'r ivas a oruciali ft:i'rlrunner of d,nat-(:[":c-syndicalisnr, nril least becirusB l1: iriclicated tl-re inipror-tance ,iif (l$t!"lft'tLrnity-bnseii:j -['hl*i or'1"1 aur!satir-rn mli:,ngEirXe workpl;rce r:rrganisation. cievek:pnle,nt. h(;vrever, was ngt'lcr nr:c;Lt- until well i:fterthe p:it"s{ ll\fcn1tl VViar, i:nd it ditJ not surface ir !ir11ain. '1i)'i 1, pley,ed
24
KeXf poxnffs; *
"The launch qrf thi:a /ndustnel $yn:l'icrafisf in 1910 1'cinmation of
the ll,tEL in
191
'l
eLr'rcl
tkre
hrs,ught together ttrte Britislr
syndicalist rr'rovtment for the first time
*
"fhe ISEL grew [htough adoprtlnrgl the tastic of 'bcrirorg from withrn' rather the dLral unionist stratergly in negard to tl-re existing tracle unir:ns
"
trnrjustrial Hnres'.
durinl; lhe
rad tregun to gii::1nr in lftl$
yr:a rt; 1 91
0
anLl d:i)iplDded
I E 1,+
- ltl key pointri dur'ing thris periocl llter astions o{'ther union
leadership ofterr undermined ther affectiveness oIstrikes and rvorkers' solildari'{:y
"
/\ng*l,' i:t ttrllirrg ,Jriarges and rli*lll-lllir:nmenl urih t'rr= Lrnion #'trol 6rs prov'etl :: ledii e g u'ou nd f r.ll' s',rnrl ina l ist id r-rtilr$i l
-
];iynrlic"nlisrrr nras lraser] on i.t'la t.i;ir,g-tc,-da5r sirillgEtr,e cf the r,ll,c}ri<.ers
-
iani rt,;. basecl on arl
{1N'rrt}i"phous
theoreliqal nrodei
[FdLrstrial uirres"n'ns nrarliecil tly' in high degree of L-i;;ss conflint lr ir:ctrt"rn{ riom anrJ in il-le: corrrrnuniiie*l
lrnd wiclespread sr:l!clarity
.
'[he outbreak o{ *yntlicalisnr.
l,uan
in
'tr9"14 brr:kte
th*
n:omentufl'r of
tIl [:.,
CBeeck*Eslt 'I
.
i:"
What were th* diflerences br:tween 'boring 'dual uninnist approaches?
Why did the lSEL prove
ruror:! rxuccessful
fr"c,nr
withrt'r' and
thai previous
synd icalist c rlglanisation?
iii.
ln what wayri clid the develoSrrnent of lrish syrrrlicalism differ fronrr
4.
that in Sritain?
What were th,e rmain fuatures
ryf
the industrial unrest of 19'10-
1914?
i:;.
ln which wa'iiir did the split within the ISEL atlect British
syntlicalism'l
ti;.
26
What ar'* thrl rnulm r{ias,:)r-r$ flr the cler:lirir*, at the enrl o" the peri*cl 1gi[i..1S'X,4?
r;rf [..]t1tish *iyndir:alirilr't
ffilll$i
t.
'' ,rfl ,&E$$ ,, :' ,&g
,,$3:
were the dliilferences befu,eren 'bar[ng from \u'ithin' and tfua/ unronisf' eryproaches? Eloring fronr wi1:l'rln'was an app"ul*rch whereby s5lndicalists work,*d within existinS; unions in order fo change th,eir struLctures and practi*;cls through parti,:lpation and exdnlple. 'Dual unri:nists' argued that ltle existing unirrrris could not tre l.d,ffirmed and therrefore separate revolultionary unions rilruuNd be set up ;t* alternatives.
2,
VLrhaf
U{/fty did ffoe /Sl:.1 prave rnare s:/,ccessfr.r/ than p,ittriaus synr/icafis l' ar E ew i,s a ti a n ? 'The l5!HL brougyht togetherthe rnajority of Britistr syndicalists
and rnnk and file umic,n nrilitants in r:n,= clrganisation arrrd was seen as an irrti;i5;ral paft uf uniCrft activity. This istrengthened soliclarity amongst antl tre'fu,reen synrJicalists and unlon ntiilmbers.
3.
ftr uyhat ways d,hf fhe derzeloprn{}I}f flf /nsh syndl:lnlism differ
#um fhaf in Briiarrm? lristt sy'ndicafrsnfi rJeveloperJ ak:ngside lrislr repuhrlicanism ancJ wffitB iflore heavilv inflJenced by ihe rcj#,as of Daniel de l.-eon. For theser rmasons it never fully broker awriy Fnom the idea ,rf parliamentary action.
4.
l,,']y'h*lf l*,errei
tl{i f ,{?
[Jle t],lll# feaft.lr#sr ntr i'for; ir;d*sf,ria/ urrl,r:st
af
1g1{}-
The industri;ll uilr:st of this perlr:d rvias mrarkerl hy a higt"r leveil *flsr:lir:Jryrit\r, cc,rmrmuni'ly inr,rolvenrlr*int il tilirlkes ilnr:1 sailr:lage. ltwas mlsr.l "l'rfirkei:l by state r-Bpresslon in ther Jitrnr of uir:ierric,l;rnd
coercion-
Lf[.irli'ril [irisi p.reriod. Brilis,h syndiraliai *lrourkr;ns traveNiecl err:und the cni,intr-V, srpeaking to ,:rltrlou!'age *triilt*r"h ilnd syrrrpathi:si:-s and srn-ile;ril in-c1 ih * i dr=i;:i c,f $yncl ical is nr.
S" /ll l,rrrlirh
fjri: l,S$il- a,ffecf ,Sr,irrltjl il Ihe *piit irr 191ii t]aw a nninn,r'ily ::,t ISE[- rtenlher:; lurning to ciLr;aX lffiiclt-tisln cltle to li-l frustrati*n rrl'lt!r unic;rn leaclers;. This saurr Xhe =ir nr,:'tjr:ir ty flclrm tiI{i InrJilutrial ilemcm;riiecy [.*;lgue anri corrtinue the 6:r:li*,, *t 'hr:rlnu fron'l rrr,rinhin'. Aftsri'n *h*rt hialus, [Jritish syndicallsni uilnti "r u*s:l its gtrrcrwth in numbers nna.tr irf[ience, uuat.s cJicl fhe ,s,o/ff lm
sHrtldroaiislr
f)'l
lti.
Hfhaf a;e fnr;, rmalfi /s6rsoJ]s ;drr fhe declinat uf ii]ri"lrisil sytn'icaii;,rrr
at the
-[he
19il).1914? F'ilil \,nurc,rid i.,'Var resuilerl in heiEhtened
errLl e:f fi:e pe,riictd
outL:rmnk r:f the
sidtte repression r:f ;{.nti-,*trar oi'ganisa[ions, arnongsI vlhich was British slind!calisnr':. L"nt*r iine influencr: n" tlr* Russian rer,fifu"rtion rJivertecl
the;,ntieniions anil i*n*rgies uf nraril,,synclicalists. ifi/rrr.id Wilr I prt:rl"'ided the Britis[i !c,vernntent wth an ulppr:rtunit,4 1.,; get rid of i;t'oiirinent syi"u:llr:e lisits, rniany of wir:l.lr r,vere fclrr:;i[.,t] y,einlisterl, then 'dir,;;lppeared', Dl- \,J,1re kiNled at the l''n:rit.
tfi
Sc*me d&sca,arss*on r\n* the n
{"1 I
mp6:rrrarr;Frr-"s
I
I
th
r
!,rl
nts
,:f 'dual unir:r[]snr'
I r* uveirut fr-tr t'r etwe nty-f l"st
l,l\,lhat dCI y,rri
gru+xsE
were the
;amci
'br:rinql [nonr r,vltl-rin'
(:]ryr1tu r.y'?
n'Irffijr)[
wenkne;ss+s i-l Ihe Erltisl-r lsâ&#x201A;Źi{i, -,fis can urâ&#x201A;Źr
r:yrrriinalist filov3rrxtent of this purrin J anti what l.l:lh*ir
fri:rn
t,htlL.ie 1fldaV?
t/l/uu* FJt'itish rryr'r*:iir)alisn:, as sug61r+*:tecl l::,y rnaLny historlans, lilr:lFliirl;t in n l.tre,li"irtical ba*is"i'
It has been arg trlC that a syndic;rnllst imsprred general strlke the outLrrgak of WW1.
urourld have occr;r-ed had it nr:l llr'r,en fr:r
t/]lhnt ane the clif1lrculties of spreaulrrting r:n whiat rnight have h;appened'?'
tl$
F;ll-x
a-the s' $*:eadâ&#x201A;Ź reg
flvlany of the ft.rfther reaclinrg sqLJrces qunt*d irr N"Jnit {i flltio cov,lr -l-hertltr:,re, reter thet i>eriod anal evelnts diseusserl ir fl'ris Unlt. gerrerally to therse itr aclclition tr:, thr: n.rore lJnlt ffi-r*p,**i'[ic sources
qrrotecl belcltrv.
Jofrn Laurcnt (ed,J Tom Mann's 5:iocial and Hq:un$lnic Wrltings, S;r,nkesman. [SBhl $&51 244688. fl7.95".AKA collection uf h4ann's wrltingliti shr:wing l"tirs 6:r:1,{:lcal drnr*lopment f'rurn ttte enrergent srlrpiiaNist nrovennert in the 'l 8'tsOrs, l'iti trrna in Austnarlira, anci through 'nem' Lnionisni tu $yncJinmlisrn, up tr: arQr"tncl 1915-10. lt'1,:;lucies 'The 8-l-lpur Day'. mf ttre "luhn Quail. The $ilmw tsurnimg F6r.ose: The L,qm{: ['liml*mry Brilish Anarahistr*. Faladim, lSElhl $586082fiI$sl" ..t-l* The only boolc of its kind - Britli*lh Anarchisirn ''rr:mr an Ananr;tri:it pr:int of view, nsw riutdly oui of print. Nf you can llinc in copy, see
er;pecially chaprter 14 'The lnsungeqt Virus'.
Ts Ee A Hart[el: A History' ,Hlf ffine ffi$ B rfluin's Earlimmt ffiSpndicalist ["Jniqns. KSL prurmlll'rIetrs. f'l "ffi{.} A4Memoirs of irn arlivist irr the, ple-First \l\/mrlcl ilu|;ar, f,ooks 14ilI McGartne;y.
ffil*nre
SrlpiJicate. 38 stri<m,s fought, 38 wqn! Here is a Nitttrn gem, an easily, reajr:l pamphlet wh qt" glves a case *1.1;dy connrnEint*rr'1/ or"r Hr'r epi$odri of q;truggle and thel 'flowt'r-tools' nred:hods that werc fr:rund to be so slrr:;cessfu
l.
K,*ru Weller. Don'tl l3e a $oldien! 1'$'le Radical Amti;tffmr tr!|,lov'enrreru{ in iUort[r Lonrirun t$lf4-'!StS. J,ouX';'teynran/t."h'{WW(} [SBFd fiS[M 5ilqii569. E4.95 -AH. -Lt- -ffiSSh ows that, clr:ispite nryths r:l' t he ni idd le-clas $ fiorn n'rentators, the rcalanti-war ftr0venrent had its f$ots in a 'rehel nrilieu' nf s5'nelicalists and tl$ nadical wing o1'the women'si mr)v'ement.
M4rk Sh i pway. Anti-Fa rl im rmentury' Go rm mur rl m nrl "l'hs+ [Wovermenf: for llVorkers' frpun#ils in ffiritain,'!|il'l7*45" Srtr;aunrti llmn Fress. rs Bilu 0333 43â&#x201A;Źif 3,ffi. -BS- -LlWritten frorn g 'councillist' pcrilrt of view so not r:tverly s1'r'npathetic to Syttil calism, but frill {,f unique and fflscinating detail, fl
{()o,nf 'rl..,1 30
lRHl-diftlB
Fiuts Fress. !li$tshl 0745 3tf,sffis" E{3,s9 -AK. (lver 1[]0 r:f Connolly's essays ilnrl articles from lrlsh and politir:gil journals, iricluding many from his more syndic4llst period.
Jarme,: ffionmolny. Th4l Lost Wnitimg*n,
.Iamm$:iConnolly. L;rpnur in lrish H trttory"
Elooknra,r,lcrs. lSBhl 0$S6
sil43Iff1fl, -t-t[.,meful provldec 1':u ignore
tlre lmtrr:dudion, whi*h atternpts ir:
crow j,flr Connolly intcr ran SWP vierr+ of tlre world. 6rnmu[ Kostimk. F4.erqrlution 'N$}'17"'i!il43.
Fluto"
in lrmlarrrfl: Fopular Milit4lncy
0745 31flAiIlP, f13.gg -AKilescrlbed by C,rlganisel-lWA ;rs *'iiiL recomrrendecl ;antidote ts the more ft)mn'ron nationalst histories". lt isl however rnarneC by the tenrJeprcy to clairn tt'rat, if only a rer,'olut r:l,nary (sic) partit l'iike the nuthclf s own $S/P!) iri;rrJ been around El the time, then I" istory would have heen sr: nruch Lr(|lfter. lr$Hth,l
F:or more on Sy'rrlicaNisnr in lrel;nniJ (rather than t[r+* influence on tsritain as discussed ir,r this Unit) writer tn Syndicalist 5+ldarity
hJetwQrk,
Ffi
Box 50ti, Belfast, BT1? liI:iQ.
l',lotes: The funther reading outlinerj is rtut designed trr be a1n exhaustive biblirrglraphy or a prescripti;e lis1. lt is deolgr a;d to provid*: some 6;rirrters for the
reade"'itih$isinlerersiedinlakingthetopicsrfi$edinthisUnilfullr>r. lnadditiontrr
the aLrtf ,,ter, it is alway:; wort l consulting yOur lqirlal library for gen:1'll hislory texts which cir; ceil,er the periorl, ilthouglr they inv;rrirtbly understalle tl ql, level of working class ot 6anisation anrl actir4ty- To assislCn..tlie [t'lemhens, an ir-rlioation is given alnngrriilr> each referencer riLl to hciw trest to c[rtain i'L The codes rirtE asfollowe; -Lllry lih'alries (tront local to qrriversity), -AK-ava ilable 'tunm AK Disiri[:ution (Cr:urrse It4enrb,tlr eliscount s0herner i:,pplies if you oder llrrough Self Ecl, Pt.l tlox 29, SW PD(), l\/runchester [l'l 5 5l-1\\'), -BS- try good ho,t:kshops, -SE- ash irelfEd about loans crr offpninle),
:r1
'-t
I