The I. W. W.: A Study of American SyndicalismBrissenden, Paul F. (Paul Frederick)
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The I. W. W.: A Study of American Syndicalism
Brissenden, Paul F. (Paul Frederick)
Industrial Workers of the World; Syndicalism
_Instead of the conservative motto, "A fair day's wage for a fair day's
work," we must inscribe on our banner the revolutionary watchword,
"Abolition of the wage system." It is the historic mission of the
working class to do away with capitalism. The army of production must
be organized, not only for the every-day struggle with capitalists, but
to carry on production when capitalism shall have been overthrown. By
organizing industrially we are forming the structure of the new society
within the shell of the old. [Therefore we, the working class, unite
under the following constitution.]_
_[Therefore without endorsing or desiring the endorsement of any
political party, we unite under the following constitution.]_
_Knowing, therefore, that such an organization is absolutely necessary
for our emancipation, we unite under the following constitution_:
B. DETROIT[725]
The working class and the employing class have nothing in common. There
can be no peace as long as hunger and want are found among millions of
working people and the few, who make up the employing class, have all
the good things of life.
[Between these two classes a struggle must go on until all the toilers
come together on the political, as well as the industrial field,
and take and hold that which they produce by their labor through an
economic organization of the working class, without affiliation with
any political party.]
_Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the toilers
come together on the political field under the banner of a distinct
revolutionary political party governed by the workers' class interest,
and on the industrial field under the banner of One Great Industrial
Union to take and hold all means of production and distribution, and
to run them for the benefit of all wealth producers._
The rapid gathering of wealth and the centering of the management of
industries into fewer and fewer hands make the trade unions unable to
cope with the ever-growing power of the employing class, because the
trade unions foster a state of things which allows one set of workers
to be pitted against another set of workers in the same industry,
thereby helping defeat one another in wage wars. The trade unions aid
the employing class to mislead the workers into the belief that the
working class have interests in common with their employers.
These said conditions must be changed, the interests of the working
class upheld _and while the capitalist rule still prevails all possible
relief for the workers must be secured_. _That can only be done by
an organization aiming steadily at the complete overthrow of the
capitalist wage system_ and formed in such a way that all its members
in any one industry or in all industries, if necessary, cease work
whenever a strike or lockout is on in any department thereof, thus
making an injury to one an injury to all.
[_Therefore, without endorsing any political party, we unite under the
following constitution._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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