History of Syndicalism

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Syndicalism or formally Revolutionary Syndicalism is the most influential leftist ideology in the world. Its ultimate aim is to overthrow capitalism, usually through a general strike that escalates into a revolution, and from there anew decentralized socialist state is established, with workers unions holding significant power. Syndicalism usually involves elements of anti-authoritarianism and anarchism and involves achieving the revolution and general strike through violent means. The history of syndicalism dates back to the mid-19th century, but it has significantly evolved as times have continually changed. Historians have classified the history of syndicalism into 3 eras.

## 1st era of syndicalism: mid-1800s-1900

The first era of syndicalism was marked by its emergence and influence in left politics, especially in Europe and North America at the time. Although syndicalism would not become very prominent until the 1890s. Regardless, syndicalism was born within France and slowly spread out of the country. This was a time where labor movements were beginning to change and gain traction amid the industrial revolution that began in Britain but spread globally. Scholars and historians debate whether labor movements were or had been syndicalist before 1900. Many, including German anarcho-syndicalist Rudolf Rocker, claim that Britain's labor movement was showing syndicalist tendencies as early as the 1830s. Industrial unionism had become the backbone to not only syndicalism but many large labor groups and leftist movements throughout the 1800s.

Syndicalists were instrumental and still see themselves as heirs of the First International, the international socialist organization formed in 1864. Syndicalists and syndicalism took heavy inspiration from men such as Mikhail Bakunin, who was present in the First International. A few years later syndicalism began to become more widely known, as in 1870 the Spanish section of the First International had been widely regarded as being syndicalist. Other groups which formed later, such as the Black International and Central Labor Union introduced the Americans to the First International. Through the Haymarket Affair in Chicago, which occurred in the aftermath of a bomb exploding among a labor demonstration in the city forced anarchists and syndicalists to re-look at the meaning of the general strike.

In the aftermath of the Haymarket Affair, French anarchists throughout the 1890s had concluded that individual actions were fruitless to bringing on change, and turned their focus towards the French labor movements instead. From thereon, the CGT (Confédération Générale du Travail) or General Confederation of Labor was born. Being weak in the beginning stages of the labor movement, it would grow significantly throughout the 1900s, especially within France. From this time onward many syndicalists gained influence across their respective countries such as Émile Pouget a part of the CGT and self-described anarcho-syndicalist.

## 2nd era: 1900-1919

In 1905, similarly to the CGT, the Industrial Workers of the World were formed in the United States and would be a powerful force within the American economy and the workers, even influencing parts of Canada and Mexico for a time. The main facet of the IWW was, like syndicalism industrial unionism, and the IWW was syndicalist in the broader sense of the word. Syndicalist movements then began to form in every major nation across the world, from Bolivia to Hungary. The revolutionary syndicalist ideas and principles were a major factor in the general politics of most of these new organizations and movements. Syndicalism began to emerge throughout South America at around this time, with Argentina having the biggest labor and syndicalist movements in the late 1910s. Syndicalism began to be accepted by many leftists, as they saw that the general strike, the foundation to the syndicalist revolution was achievable. Minor yet effective strikes occurred throughout the 1900s and 1910s, especially in Western Europe and the Americas for better working conditions. Syndicalism played, debatably the biggest role in worker's rights in the 1900s. The IWW for example was involved in over 150 strikes. Massachusetts, New Jersey, Louisiana, and Arkansas saw significant strikes in different towns and major cities. Syndicalists were a major role in the Mexican Revolution, aligning itself with the provisional Mexican government, and were a major reason the Zapatistas were able to fall. In Portugal as another example, the removal of the king in 1910 triggered a general strike. Violence escalated and for a time Lisbon was occupied by leftist insurgents as violence spread across every major Portuguese city. The start of the Great War would forever change the course of syndicalism, however.

Despite syndicalists and syndicalist organizations opposing war, militarization, and nationalism, syndicalist organizations regardless supported their nations involved in the Great War. As time went on, however, syndicalists became the most outspoken group for the anti-war movement, beginning as early as 1915. Many syndicalists were unwilling to support their respective nations thereafter, but as the war progressed syndicalists became more outspoken. Prices were on the rise, food was scarce, and it became increasingly clear that the war would not be short. But, syndicalism would see the biggest change in Germany through the years 1917-1919.

Although the war ended in mid-1917, the war had devastated much of Europe. However, in the most prominent syndicalist countries such as France and Britain, the Great War had succeeded. It was a major blow to syndicalist organizations and movements in those countries, especially the CGT in France, as the loss of the Great War could have provided the perfect opportunity for a revolution. Germany however, became a blackspot in Europe. They not only lost the Great War, something humiliating all on its own but it also was a country ravaged by war. Being blockaded by the British for 3 years and intense fighting on its motherland radicalized much of the German population away from militarism. With the embarrassing Treaty of Versailles a few months later, the Germans became increasingly bitter with the Entente. But also with the newly created Weimar Republic. Many saw the republic as a puppet for the Entente and considering that the treaty included debilitating reparations that the Germans could not afford to repay. Instead, the condition managed to stay the same, even with the lifting of the blockade and the end of the war. Rebuilding was going to take years while most of the German population was hungry, unemployed, and radicalized. Throughout 1917-1919, the German syndicalist groups took up the opportunity to provide as much aid as they could, embarking on missions in several German cities to bring food and in some cases, water relief. The Weimar government was wary of these groups, knowing full well the possible outcome that the German population might rally against the current regime in place for a syndicalist one. The Weimar state at that point, chose to act, clamping down on leftist groups and movements providing relief for the German population, hoping to stop any further leftist growth in the nation. But the seeds for a revolution had already been planted. The German people began to look at the biggest German syndicalist organization in the entire country, the German Worker's Liberation Movement as an inspiration and drew many to its cause. The subsequent violent crackdown in the Weimar Republic also showed the German people that the current regime could not be trusted, paving the way to a revolution within Germany. More than ever, syndicalist groups were beginning to urge German leftists to provoke a rebellion, knowing how syndicalism could decline in place of different leftist ideologies such as communism.

## 3rd and current era: 1919-1935

### The German Civil War

The current era of syndicalism would forever change the ideology and world history, marked by the start of the German Revolution, which occurred due to a general strike that was declared in January, 1919. Just a month later, as hundreds of thousands of workers are on strike across the country, strikers collectively revolted in Bavaria as civil war broke out, and by August 1920 loyalist Republican forces were in shambles and fled to Sweden, allowing the syndicalist German Union to rise.

The victory of the Union had several implications that are still felt today in global politics. Syndicalist theory proved effective at starting the revolution, mostly through the protracted general strike that engulfed the late German Republic as a general strike was and is considered at major gateway at igniting a syndicalist revolution. The rise of the Union also resulted in a fracturing and division of the worldwide communist movement. Syndicalism triumphed over all other socialist ideologies, and in the 1920s, many communist movements turned towards syndicalism, or incorporated syndicalist principles into their practices and movements, such as democratic unionism. As the 1920s went on, socialism became even more fractured, and was increasingly divided into two camps: "western" socialism and "eastern socialism. Western socialism as it is called is a name given to the mostly libertarian socialist movements which now dominate leftist circles all over the Western world. In contrast, the "East" (mostly Eastern Europe and Asia) have adopted forms of Leninism and vanguardism into their leftist movements, which has caused a worldwide divide, especially as the Socialist Republic of Russia, Vietnam and Laos were created. This isn't to say that there aren't major communist opposition parties and organizations in the West, but Libertarian Socialism has remained the dominant ideology among the Left in the West.

### Developments

In the years following the syndicalist revolution in Germany, syndicalism began transforming along German lines, but this lead to a wider amount of division among syndicalist circles, especially with the rise of anarcho-syndicalism. Germany followed syndicalist principles strongly with the creation of the new government, as trade unions hold all power and control over the economy and are the basis for the remaining Chamber of Labor, Council of Rights and of course, the Trade Union Congress. Syndicalism was further exported as the Union, almost immediately underwent an internationalist focus across the world. Germany aided in the development of syndicalism in Switzerland, sent out propaganda pamphlets that reached as far as Vietnam, Turkey and Central America and have secretly funded to the French CGT, the Polish Peasant Union, the American National Labor Union and much more, allowing syndicalism to reach every corner of the world by the start of the 1930s.