Syndicalism

[Zanters]

What, in your eyes, is syndicalism and how does it compare to other tendencies (preferably the tendency you adhere to)? How does it relate to Marxism, ML, Left Communism, Libertarian Communism etc.

I get the gist of it, but I want to know its relationship and others opinions on it. I don't know enough of it to properly judge/dismiss it, or if I should consider studying it.

[ArisVelouxiotis]

You mean Anarcho-syndicalism?

[tuwix]

What, in your eyes, is syndicalism and how does it compare to other tendencies (preferably the tendency you adhere to)? How does it relate to Marxism, ML, Left Communism, Libertarian Communism etc.

I get the gist of it, but I want to know its relationship and others opinions on it. I don't know enough of it to properly judge/dismiss it, or if I should consider studying it.

Anarcho-syndicalism in terms of Marxism is an ideology of the first phase socialism/communism in Marxist understanding. It has one quality similar to Leninism. It's opposition to direct democracy in workplace. Syndicalism assumes in workplace the union must rule and not everyone must belong to the union. But in opposition to Leninism it is for socializing the means of productions in their own way instead of nationalizing them. The libertarian communism assumes building a system without money. This system is irrelevant for syndicalists. It can happen or not. It's not their objective. Most of them will be satisfied of socializing the means of productions by unions.

[Forward Union]

What, in your eyes, is syndicalism and how does it compare to other tendencies (preferably the tendency you adhere to)? How does it relate to Marxism, ML, Left Communism, Libertarian Communism etc.

I get the gist of it, but I want to know its relationship and others opinions on it. I don't know enough of it to properly judge/dismiss it, or if I should consider studying it.

Oxford English Dictionary as follows "A movement for transferring the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution to workers' unions. Influenced by Proudhon and by the French social philosopher Georges Sorel (1847- 1922), syndicalism developed in French trade unions during the late 19th century and was at its most vigorous between 1900 and 1914, particularly in France, Italy, Spain, and the US" The Online Dictionary provides a more eloquent summary; "A form or development of trade unionism, originating in France, that aims at the possession of the means of production and distribution, and ultimately at the control of society, by federated bodies of industrial workers, and that seeks to realize its purposes through general strikes"

Syndicalism is sometimes called the "Ideology that isn't" it's simply the view that the Trade Union movement has the capacity to take over the means of production and organise them along socialist lines. In this sense it's different from most Marxist tendencies because it does not advocate a political vanguard, but also distinct from Anarchism because it doesn't advocate an exclusive political organisation at all. Anarcho-Syndicalists thinks unions should be political, Syndicalists think unions should be inclusive of all workers and should fight on purely economic and material lines.

Syndicalist organisations, like the CSR in France, operate as a sort of well orgaised coordination of workplace militants attempting to unify France's scattered unions into one big union, and agitate for democracy, and other revolutionary or at least radical policies inside their respective Unions. Revolutionary Syndicalism is basically any revolutionary actions or policies which are performed by the workers in their unions, organically.The 1887 Congress of the Federacion Nacionale des Syndicats, for example, which was at the time heavily dominated by the French Parti Ouvrier or 'Workers Party' declared rather controversially that “Only the general strike could lead to the emancipation of the proletariat” and more importantly “called on the workers to separate themselves from the politicians and concentrate on the organisation of their unions” all this was done
“in the absence of Marxist leaders”

“Syndicalism starts from a proper base, the basis of paid employment, the living cell on which the organism of society bases itself, while the "caesarian" socialists start from their doctrine, and try to forcibly introduce reality into it" – Albert Camus

I recommend reading this https://libcom.org/library/partyism-versus-syndicalism. I'm writing a 40 page piece on modern Syndicalism, pm me your email and I'll send you what I have so far.