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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

Unit 6: Revolutionary Syndicalism in Britain and Ireland, 1910-17

This Unit aims to:

  • Analyse the tactics and strategy of the British syndicalists from 1910-1917.
  • Look at the extent of syndicalist influence within the working class.
  • Examine the impact of the industrial unrest of 1910 – 1914.
  • Briefly consider the Irish syndicalist movement.
  • Look at the reasons behind the regrouping of the syndicalist movement after 1913.
  • Examine the impact on the syndicalist movement of the outbreak of the Great War in 1914.
  • Discuss the successes and failures of British revolutionary syndicalism, its theory and tactics.

Terms and abbreviations

ISEL: Industrial Syndicalist Education League

SWMF: South Wales Miners’ Federation

URC: Unofficial Reform Committee

Unit 5: Revolutionary Syndicalism in Britain, 1870-1910

This Unit aims to:

  • Outline the social, economic and political changes that took place in Britain round the turn of the last century
  • Explore the arguments that took place within the trade union movement and the rise of ‘New Unionism’
  • Examine the factors in the growth of the syndicalist movement in Britain
  • Explain the differences of approach within the syndicalist movement of the time.

Terms and abbreviations

Fabian Society: Named after a Roman general Fabius Maximus who won his campaigns by slow attrition. The Fabians believed that socialism was best achieved by permeation, gradually reforming existing institutions and through constitutional government rather than through revolutionary upheaval.

Unit 4: France 1870-1918 Early revolutionary unions

This Unit aims to:

  • Outline the social, economic and political conditions in late 19th France and how they contributed to the growth of anarcho- syndicalism
  • Look at the extent to which trade unionism in France was influenced by anarchism
  • Outline the rise of the Bourses du Travail and the formation of the Federation des Bourses du Travail (FBT) and examine the practice, theory and organisational structure of the early French unions
  • Give a brief history of the development, and politics of the CGT and examine the reasons for the changes in outlook
  • Look at the idea of ‘political neutrality’ and the problems it raised.

Terms and abbreviations

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