Revolutionary situtations where the working class splits

[kerryhall]

This seems to be a common theme throughout history. Conditions get so bad that it makes revolution inevitable. A revolution begins to build, along mass worker lines. Then the ruling class sees what is about to happen, and give up some reforms. Then some of the workers go "Ok fine, we'll take it" but then capitalists erode those gains until conditions are shitty again.

Is there a list of times/places this exact progression has happened?

[Jimmie Higgins]

This seems to be a common theme throughout history. Conditions get so bad that it makes revolution inevitable. A revolution begins to build, along mass worker lines. Then the ruling class sees what is about to happen, and give up some reforms. Then some of the workers go "Ok fine, we'll take it" but then capitalists erode those gains until conditions are shitty again.

Is there a list of times/places this exact progression has happened?

Not exactly revolutionary situations, but two examples of mass militancy illustrate this: US black power movement and the Labor militancy of the 1930s. In each case, the ruling class strategy was to give up some reforms and then try and co-opt some of the movement while brutally repressing other parts of the movement.

[Le Socialiste]

I've been reading about the German revolution (1918-1923), during which the ruling SPD used its influence amongst broad layers of the working-class to isolate genuine instances of workers' militancy and revolt, essentially dividing the workers against themselves and their initial interests. The SPD offered talk of reform, of a "socialization of industry," but these proved to be hollow promises. Nevertheless, due to its history and membership/influence among the workers millions of Germans continued to have faith in the Social Democrats, leading to confusion and hostility towards those who demanded actual action and organization. In the end the Social Democrats made way for a resurgent rightwing with nationalist/monarchist sympathies, one which over time crushed the workers' rebellion(s) outright. By dividing the workers at the peak of their readiness for mass action against the old order, the SPD managed to ensure no significant number of the working-class ever posed a large enough threat.