The I. W. W.: A Study of American Syndicalism — John Shaqi
The I. W. W.: A Study of American SyndicalismBrissenden, Paul F. (Paul Frederick)
History
The I. W. W.: A Study of American Syndicalism
Brissenden, Paul F. (Paul Frederick)
Industrial Workers of the World; Syndicalism
The most significant and interesting phase of this unique body of
industrialists was its many-sided intellectual character. Some of the
high lights of divergent doctrine preached and defended here show more
clearly than anything else how stupendous the undertaking was. Perhaps
the least indefinite term which would give them all standing-room would
be "revolutionary socialism," though many delegates repudiated the
name socialist as being synonymous with reactionist and conservative.
If socialists at all, they were socialists with a radical adjective.
In reference to some the word "anarchistic" should be substituted for
"revolutionary." They all believed in the "irrepressible conflict"
between capital and labor. They were a unit in wishing for and aiming
at the overthrow of the wages system--the downfall of capitalism.
There was no place here for the "Gomperite" and his program of mutual
interests of employer and employee; but the absence from the scene of
the "identity of interest" and "coffin society" man did not guarantee
harmony.[110]
As usual there was disagreement as to the methods to be used to reach
the common end desired. Hence certain divergent types of doctrine were
expounded and certain warring factions resulted therefrom. St. John
enumerates four main varieties as being predominant: (1) Parliamentary
Socialists--two types, impossibilist (Marxian) and opportunist
(reformist); (2) Anarchists; (3) Industrial Unionists; and (4) the
"labor union fakir."[111] This classification is ambiguous. No doubt
the "labor union fakir," who gets into any new move of this sort for
what he can get out of it, has no real economic creed except that of
the profiteer, but he enters a movement of this kind as an exponent of
a certain legitimate doctrine and is at least presumed to belong to
that doctrinal faction. It has been seen that during the proceedings
of the convention it developed that there were delegates present who
were not sincere in their attitude. It is a fact, as St. John points
out, "that many of those who were present as delegates on the floor of
the first convention and the organizations that they represented have
bitterly fought the I. W. W. from the close of the first convention
up to the present day."[112] By no means all of these are necessarily
fakirs, since the outcome of the deliberations of the first convention
was somewhat different from that anticipated even by the signers of the
manifesto.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account