Syndicalism in FranceLorwin, Lewis L. (Lewis Levitzki)
History
Syndicalism in France
Lorwin, Lewis L. (Lewis Levitzki)
Labor unions -- France -- History; Syndicalism -- France
This report was presented by the "Committee on the Label, the Boycott,
and _Sabotage_." The reporter on the boycott and _sabotage_--M.
Pouget--noted the little progress that had been accomplished in the
application of these two methods since 1897, but again affirmed their
validity and recommended them to the workingman; the report affirmed
that the menace, only, of _sabotage_ is often sufficient to produce
results. "The Congress," said the report,
cannot enter into the details of these tactics; such things depend
upon the initiative and the temperament of each and are subordinate
to the diversity of industries. We can only lay down the theory and
express the wish that the boycott and the _sabotage_ should enter
into the arsenal of weapons which the workingmen use in their
struggle against capitalists on the same plane as the strike, and
that, more and more, the direction of the social movement should be
towards the direct action of individuals and towards a greater
consciousness of their personal powers.[115]
[115] _X Congrès National Corporatif_ (Rennes, 1898), p. 302.
The Congress of Paris (1900) again recorded but little progress. In the
interval since Rennes (1898-1900) only a few new federations joined the
General Confederation. The others, whose adherence was solicited,
refused or even were not "polite enough" to make a reply. The adhering
organizations paid irregularly; the decisions of the Congresses were not
executed. The Committees still did not function because the number of
delegates to the National Council was small. The total income for both
years amounted to 3,678 francs, of which 1,488 were dues paid.
The "Committee for the propaganda of the general strike" had collected
during this period (1898-1900) 4,262 francs. Of this 3,172 francs were
the five per cent of the strike subscriptions. It may also be
interesting to note that the organizations which contributed most to
this sum were: Union of Syndicats of Seine, 901 francs; the Union of
Machinists of Seine, 727 francs; the Federation of Moulders, 536 francs;
the Federation of Metallurgy, 457 francs. The Committee published
thirteen numbers of a journal, "The General Strike," and a brochure on
the general strike.
The general strike was again the subject of a long discussion at the
Congress of Paris. But the discussion was given a new turn. The question
now was: "The general strike, its organization, its eventuality, its
consequences." And the ideas that prevailed revealed some further
modifications in the conception.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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