Syndicalism in FranceLorwin, Lewis L. (Lewis Levitzki)
History
Syndicalism in France
Lorwin, Lewis L. (Lewis Levitzki)
Labor unions -- France -- History; Syndicalism -- France
[220] E. Thery, _Les Progrès Économiques de la France_ (Paris, 1909), p.
181.
[221] _Journal des Économistes_, Jan., 1911, p. 133.
A diversity of conditions prevails in the industries to which the other
revolutionary organizations belong. On the other hand, the so-called
reformist organizations, the Federation of Mines, the _Fédération du
Livre_, the Federation of Employees, differ in many respects and are
determined in their policy by many considerations and conditions which
are peculiar to each one of them.
The influence of the revolutionary syndicalists, therefore, can be
explained not by special technical conditions, but by general conditions
which are economic, political and psychological. To bring out the
relation of these conditions to the syndicalist doctrine it is necessary
to analyze the latter into its constituent elements and to discuss them
one by one.
The fundamental condition which determines the policy of "direct
action" is the poverty of French syndicalism. Except the _Fédération du
Livre_, only a very few federations pay a more or less regular strike
benefit; the rest have barely means enough to provide for their
administrative and organizing expenses and can not collect any strike
funds worth mentioning. In 1908, for instance, there were 1,073 strikes;
of these 837 were conducted by organized workingmen. Only in 46 strikes
was regular assistance assured for the strikers, and in 36 cases only
was the assistance given in money.[222] The French workingmen,
therefore, are forced to fall back on other means during strikes. Quick
action, intimidation, _sabotage_, are then suggested to them by their
very situation and by their desire to win.
[222] _Statistique des Grèves_, 1909, vi-vii.
The lack of financial strength explains also the enthusiasm and the
sentiments of general solidarity which characterize French strikes. An
atmosphere of enthusiasm must be created in order to keep up the
fighting spirit in the strikers. To the particular struggle in any one
trade a wider and more general significance must be attributed; it must
be interpreted as a partial manifestation of a more general
class-struggle. In this way the determination to struggle on is
strengthened in those who strike and a moral justification is created
for an appeal to the solidarity of all workingmen. These appeals are
made constantly during strikes. Subscription lists are kept in the
_Bourses du Travail_, in the Confederal Committee on Strikes, and are
opened in the workingmen's and socialist newspapers whenever any big
strike occurs.
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