Unit 13: Going Global - International Organisation, 1872-1922

This Unit aims to

  • Review the attempts to organise a revolutionary international in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries
  • Briefly examine the reformist internationals
  • Examine the reasons behind the rejection by anarcho-syndicalists of the Bolsheviks ‘Red International’
  • Look at the founding of the IWA

Terms and abbreviations

SPD: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands. German Social Democratic Party

ISNTUC: International Secretariat of National Trade Union Centres, the reformist trade union international

NAS: Nationaal Arbeids-Secretariaat, Dutch syndicalist organisation

ISEL: Industrial Syndicalist Education League

IWW: Industrial Workers of the World

Unit 12 Russia II: 1917-30

This Unit aims to

  • Outline the Russian Revolution (see also Unit 11) and subsequent events.
  • Examine the establishment of the Bolshevik regime under Lenin in the years following 1917.
  • Illustrate the twisted logic and suspect motives of the Bolsheviks during the period.
  • Consider briefly the anarcho-syndicalists in Russia at the time.
  • Trace the steps in the establishment of the Bolshevik dictatorship.

Terms and abbreviations

Left SR: Left wing of the Social Revolutionary Party who supported the Bolsheviks.

Right SR: Right wing of the Social Revolutionary Party, opposed to the Bolsheviks.

CPC: The Council of People’s Commissars

Unit 11: Russia I: 1850-1917

This Unit aims to

  • Examine the economic and social conditions that gave rise to the revolutions of 1905 and 1917.
  • Outline the events in Russia up to 1917.
  • Discuss the positions of the various revolutionary groups within Russia.
  • Illustrate the spread of anarcho-syndicalist ideas during the period.
  • Analyse the development of Marxist-Leninism and the rise, and eventual triumph, of the Bolsheviks.

Terms and abbreviations

Narrodniks: The revolutionary movement in Russia from around 1861.

Russification: The process of suppressing all ethnic and non- Russian national traditions and recognise the supremacy of Russian culture,

The Pale (of Settlement): The area of Jewish settlement in Russia Pogroms: The organised massacre of Jews.

Unit 10: Sweden 1889-1939

This Unit aims to

  • Provide an overview of the development of anarcho-syndicalism in Sweden.
  • Look at how the ideas and tactics of the SAC developed.
  • Examine some of the criticisms made by anarcho-syndicalists of the SAC.

Terms and abbreviations

SAP: Sveriges Socialdemokratiska Arbetarparti, the Swedish Social Democratic Party,

LO: Landsorganisationen, the central trade union confederation.

SUF: Socialistiska Ungdomsforbundet, young socialist league).

SUP: Sveriges Ungsocialistiska Parti, the Young Socialists’ Party).

SAF: Svenska Arbetsgivareforeningen, Swedish employers federation).

SAC: Sveriges Arbetares Centralorganisation, Swedish central labour organisation).

Unit 9: Anarcho-syndicalism in Argentina 1870-1939

This Unit aims to

Give an overview of the conditions that encouraged the growth of anarcho-syndicalism in Argentina. Examine the theory and practice of Argentinean anarcho-syndicalists in the FORA. Look at the main issues that arose within the anarcho-syndicalist movement. Discuss the reasons for the decline of the FORA.

Terms and abbreviations

FOA: Federación Obrera Argentina. The first Argentinean union federation that, initially, contained both socialists and anarcho- syndicalist factions.

FORA: Federación Obrera Regional Argentina. In 1904 the FOA formally adopted anarcho-syndicalist principles and changed its name.

UGT: Union General de Trabajadores. The socialist union federation formed after the split from the FOA.

Unit 8: USA 1886-1930 - The Wobblies

This Unit aims to

  • Look at the development of anarcho-syndicalism in the United States.
  • Give an overview and analysis of the influences tendencies within the IWW.
  • Discuss the IWW attitude to political parties.
  • Examine the conflicts that arose within the IWW over internal democracy.
  • Look at the success of the IWW in creating a distinct ‚working class revolutionary culture.
  • Examine the reasons for its decline.

Terms and abbreviations

AFofL: American Federation Of Labor. Reformist union federation that organized solely amongst the white working class in the United States.

GEB: General Executive Board. Executive of the IWW.

Unit 7: Mexico 1870-1920: Colonialism and Revolution

This Unit aims to

  • Give an overview of the development of capitalism and industrialisation in Mexico
  • Look at the emergence of the anarchist movement at this time.
  • Examine the cultural and political background of the Mexican revolution.
  • Look at the various factions and alliances within the revolution.
  • Analyse the emergence of anarcho-syndicalism as a force within the Mexican working class.
  • Look at the ideas of the Zapatistas and agrarian reform.
  • Examine the split in the anarcho-syndicalist movement over support of the Zapatistas.

Terms and abbreviations

News International Wapping: 25 Years On - An Exhibition

In January 1986 the Wapping dispute was unleashed with the overnight move of Rupert Murdoch’s newspapers to a new non-union printworks and the sacking of 5,500 workers.

Murdoch’s vast resources and the support of the Tory government and its anti-union laws enabled the company to build and staff the Docklands works and dismiss the original workforce.

A year-long strike failed to win justice for them, as the plant was staffed by strike-breaking labour recruited by the electricians’ union, the EETPU, in one of the greatest acts of treachery in labour movement history.

Strikes in Britain: a selected timeline

1888 - The Matchgirls Strike: Successful strike against poor working conditions in a match factory, including 14-hour work days, poor pay, excessive fines, and the severe health complications of working with white phosphorus.

1901 - Taff Vale dispute: Strikers employ sabotage tactics to prevent scabs working, and the company sues the union for damages - and wins. This would lead to the formation of the Labour Party.

Capitalism is Boring!!!! a closer look at Situationism and why it is more relevant than ever

During the late 1950s and 60s the Situationist International (SI) developed arguably the most profound and far reaching critique of modern society for many decades. Although it now seems the height of hipness for arty intellectuals to make passing reference to situationism, few genuinely appreciate the distinctly revolutionary overtones of the SI’s ideas. Often criticised for specialised language and abstract concepts (with some justification), these ideas nevertheless hold tremendous relevance today, perhaps more so than ever.