The Anarchist one. Does anyone know if there are any books, websites, magaizine articles, or anything else that deals with the history of the IWA-AIT from its founding all throughout its history? I need this for a 30 page paper, so a few Libcom history articles aren't going to cut it.
Thanks in advance.
Not sure about any books in particular, apart from things about the Spanish Civil War. All of the libcom stuff is here:
http://libcom.org/tags/iwa
That's not just individual articles though, the self Ed course is reasonably detailed.
What paper are you writing, and for what? Because we could be interested in hosting it, if you were okay with that.
google is your friend
"A History of anarcho-syndicalism"
http://www.selfed.org.uk/docs/units/2001/pdfs/binder.pdf
"The Workers Themselves: Revolutionary Syndicalism and International
Labour, 1913-1923"
http://www.amazon.com/Workers-Themselves-Syndicalism-International-Labour/dp/0792302761
1860-today: The International Workers Association
http://libcom.org/history/international-workers-association
"Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism, CounterPower Vol. I" I think addresses some stuff
Not sure about any books in particular, apart from things about the Spanish Civil War. All of the libcom stuff is here:
http://libcom.org/tags/iwaThat's not just individual articles though, the self Ed course is reasonably detailed.
What paper are you writing, and for what? Because we could be interested in hosting it, if you were okay with that.
I'm writing a thesis paper for my AP European History class. My thesis is basically that the decline in power of the IWA is due to several internal factors, namely:
The conflict between reformist and "purist" (as in pseudo platformist) beleifs within the IWA. I'm going to talk about it in a historical context (i.e expulsion of the SAC, and the readmission of the Treintistas in the CNT in 1936 that led to reformists dominating at the time of the revolution) up until today (the threatened expulsion of the USI).
The repression of syndicalist unions at the hands of Fascist regimes (mentioning Germany, Italy, Spain, Hungary etc) which was probably the biggest factor in its decline.
The actions of the IWA in the Spanish Civil War.
The founding of the IWA and its relation to the Red International of Trade Unions, and how it came to dominate the Syndicalist movement in most countries. Also talk about its relation to the IWW, mention the affiliation to the IWA of the IWW dockworkers' union.
The problems with a purely workplace organizational strategy (think Bookchin's criticism) and reformist tendencies within syndicalism as an ideology, as well as syndicalist or "purist" (not as in pseudo platformist, but beleiving that ONLY a general strike should be used).
Yeah, I'll probably add more. If you want to host it that would be great. If this doesn't work out then I'll probably write one on Propoaganda By The Deed*.
*I'm not an insurrectionalist (especially not of the US-Mexican variaty, I'm generally supportive of groups like Revolutionary Struggle, though). But in reading other books I've seen that the history of propaganda by the deed is overlooked, we're talking about tens of thousands of bombing, stabbings, shootings etc, not just the 10 or 15 assasinations or bombings that get the most mention (McKinley, Umberto, Ravachol's bombings etc).
the readmission of the Treintistas in the CNT in 1936 that led to reformists dominating at the time of the revolution
Abel Paz's biography of Durruti is good on this, quoting Durruti polemicising against the 'thirtyism' of the 'straight unionists' who secretly met with the government to try and get the CNT legalised in 1934.
Yeah, sounds interesting. We would definitely be up for posting that here when it's done. And anything else that you write probably.
I thought Daed End's link were pretty good.
A decent enough book is "The Workers Themselves". Certainly has lots of reference sites for further information. The Solfed series gives an IWA perspective and hits upon some of the internal questions (SAC).
See al "La GCTSR et la revolution espagnol" by Jerimie Bethune. Although in French, has interesting stuff about the French AIT Section, Piere Besnard (who was fired as AIT Sec. for critiism of CNT-Espanol). See also David Barry's "History of the French Anarchist Movement, 1917-1945" for a account of CGTSR, Piere Besnard and IWA/AIT tensions.
But if I read your statement correctly about reformism, purism and sligh mention of platformism, I think your timeline and premise is off. In fact, there was a struggle within the IWA over the question of CNT participation in the government. The trenistas were allowed to rejoin the Spanish national section by the CNT itself, not by the IWA (which never had that sort of power). One can seriously argue that it was the more---not my term--"purist" elements of the specifically anarchist FAI which lead to collobration. My own take is it take two to tango.
The SAC kept the IWA going during WWII years. It was only in the 1950s that the SAC left the IWA.
On the IWW, see below document that I haven't quite finished transcribing, but may be helpful.
I was part of the resurgence of the IWA in the 1970s and the main attraction of the IWA that it promoted a class struggle libertarian position (anarcho-syndicalism for me). Most of us who joined at that time were not in union sections (ok, outside Spain, Italy & France) and the question of "reformism" was really a debate within the Spanish CNT community (splits wthin the exile community mainly). The question of reformism within the IWA reemerged really as a question within Spain. The breakdown in Spain and then in France (1990s) reignited the whole question...which seems to have dominated the internal workings of the IWA mainly up to this day.
I'm not clear about what is being said about the "platformists". I'm not one, but know and work with plenty and think they are just as much riddled with contradictions and different intreptations as some anarcho-syndicalist are about anarcho-syndicalism.
I'm certainly in the progress of this, so please keep us posted.
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x357997 wrote:
Just some information.The IWA at its last congress voted to have friendly relations with the IWW. Before this they had friendly relations with the IWW on a unofficial level section by section. There were and still are tensions between the IWW and IWA.
....
Back in the 20's (?) the IWW had a union wide debate about joining the IWA and it even went to referendum I believe. The IWW decided against affiliating because the IWA has a strong line against religion, something the IWW believes should be left to individual members.hope this helps and if someone could give an exact date on the IWW/IWA affiliation debate that would be great.
The tension between the IWA and the IWW is basically over the IWW's use of, in the US, the labor board, collective agreements and the more traditional trade union stuff. There's also some huff and puff about there being a whole connection with the Socialist Party USA, etc.
I believe the first vote was in 1934 to affiliate with the IWA. (The IWA was organized in 1922). The 1934 referendum sought to explore affiliation, but there was never real clarity of opinion.
Ok history geeks (myself included) here comes the dope straight from the horse’s mouth........
"IWW Resolution Committee Recommendations (21st Convention, Chicago, 11/34) Regarding Affiliation to the IWMA:
Committee recommends that the IWMA pamphlet: "The IWMA -- Its Purpose, Aims & Principles" * be published in three installments in the GOB and that 30 days after the 3rd installment is published that a General Ref. Ballot with the following question: "Shall the IWW affiliate with the IWMA?" Also that we instruct the editor of the Industrial Worker to call attention of the membership to the importance of the GOB & urge them to read it".
[The Report Committee voted to:]
"That the vote on the committees report regarding the IWMA signified that the majority of the convention delegates favor putting the question on the ballot and does not involve the question of affiliation."
Industrial Union Vote:
Jarvis #110 (Ag. workers) -- Yes Edwards #120 (Lumber) -- Yes
Anderson #310 (Gen. Construct. wrkers)) --- No Lowes #310 -- No Tarasuk #330 (Bdlg/Const) ---- No Haiman #510 (MTW) Hanson #510 --- No Kazciban GRU --- Yes Thompson GRU --- Yes Mahler GRU ---Yes Chair. Dahl #210 - Yes. Motion carriesHaiman, Hansen, Tarasuk, Anderson, Lowes wish to be recorded as in favor of affiliation."
By 1936 (under the direction of Fred Thompson) the IWW chose not to affiliate with the IWA.
From the "Resolution on the IWMA Affiliation (22nd Convention, Chicago, 11/36) Regarding to the:
"Even though. The IWW did not affiliate with the IWMA; we hope that continuous cooperation and harmony will exist between these two organizations. It is also hope that this Convention will devise additional ways and means of aiding our fellow workers in Spain who are in the death grips with the fascists there. The present [IWW] administration has done what it could through giving the struggle proper publicity and pushing the sale of CNT Stamps which were sent to us by the IWMA".
Fred Thompson writes in the "IWW: its First 70 Years, 1905-1975"
that joining the IWA would declare "for its members their religious and political attitudes which it [IWW] always left to the individual" (Pg 177)The IWA Statutes declared:
"Revolutionary syndicalism is opposed to every centralist tendency and organization, which is but borrowed from the State and the Church." **
The Statutes further declared:
"Only in the economic and revolutionary organizations of the working class are there forces capable of bringing about its liberation and the necessary creative energy for the reorganization of society on the basis of free communism."**
1990 saw the IWW pass another resolution (71 in favor, 44 against) to affiliate. This lingered and was revived in 1992.
The 10/92 issue of the IW published the 1992 Convention "Resolution on IWW International Policy".
The resolution stated, in part, "It is the policy of the IWW to establish contacts with all revolutionary unions around the world." The resolution listed a number of actions to be taken. The aim of these action would be towards “exploring affiliation with the AIT".
"A standing Interl Commission shall be established to coordinate international relations, including affiliation with the AIT."
The matter of IWA affiliation lingered again for another few years and was voted down in a 1996 referendum.
That seems to be it ... hope this is helpful
* "The International Working Men's Association. I.W.M.A., its policy, its aim, its principles." Publisher N.pl. : International Working Men's Association, 1933. 19 p. Photocopy on file at WSA office.
** (Adopted at 1st Congress, 1922 and 2nd Congress, 1925. Verbatim from "The IWMA" pamphlet
*** The current IWA Statues say “libertarian communism”.
Additional footnote on the 1933 IWMA pamphlet. In Section II, the “Fundamental principles of the IWMA, the IWA declares the following.
“Each country has its own traditions, its own methods of work. Its own outlook upon events. Yet the fundamental guiding lines remain the same for all. And if some revolutionary labor movements are not yet represented in all the councils of the IWMA, this is due to the fact that either certain misunderstandings have not, as of yet, been entirely dissipated, or that wanton misrepresentation of the aims, policy and principles of the IWMA have not been permitted the rank-and-file to obtain straight forward and frank statement of the case.
“An outstanding of the undefined relations with the IWMA are the Industrial Workers of the World of America.
“The IWMA has repeatedly appealed to the IWW to clear up the matter as to its stand on international revolutionary labor problems and on international affiliation.
“The whole case, on the side of the IWW rested finally upon two cardinal points: First, that the IWW were, in themselves, an international organization – its very name suggestion it --- and that there was, therefore, no necessity of affiliating to another International body. Secondly, that the system of organization of the IWW --- in industrial unions --- was opposed to the system of organization of the Syndicalists – in trade and craft unions.
“Let us examine these two arguments.”
[to be continued—syndicalist]
The minutes of the VII IWA congress detail the events where the SAC left following unanimous opposition to its motion that all sections should manage pension funds, etc. They were not expelled, their delegates walked out.
I am unaware of there ever being a pseudo-platformist or any significant platformist current in the IWA because the platform and the statutes of the IWA are incompatable, if this is your description fair enough but another term would probably be more suitable.
Are you bilingual? there are several books in other laguages, other than the SelfEd units which are also useful.
Also a fragment of V. Damier's two volume history of the IWA has been translated to english, called "anarcho-syndicalism in the 20th century" and is probably being released shortly.
Hope this is useful. I'll write again
I am unaware of there ever being a pseudo-platformist or any significant platformist current in the IWA because the platform and the statutes of the IWA are incompatable ...
I would slightly disagree with this, but in the most comradely manner. But there is a historical truth that the Russian anarcho-synidcalists and the Russian anarchists who wrote the "platform" were clearly in oposition to each other. Maximov wrote "Constructive Anarchism" which was basically a critique of "The Platform". Others in the exiled Russian community who were pro-IWA were not in favor of "The Platform".
That said, the Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI) was for a specific anarchist organization.
And Pierre Besnard came pretty close to a sort of platformism as well, see:
http://robertgraham.wordpress.com/alexander-schapiro-pierre-besnard-anarcho-syndicalism-and-anarchism/
In regards to the SAC, I believe their withdrawal was a bit more nuanced then you described, but essentially correct.It has always been my understanding that the SAC's position was more specific to itslef then to the mass of the movement (as as it existed at all during the 1940s 1950s). The SAC (with about 20,000 something members at that time) argued that the only way it was able to really exist in the growing Swedish welfae state was to participate in being a source for unemployment benefits. I think a number of other positions which the SAC took are a bit soft as well, but don't get as much play (a soft sort of libertarian municiplaism)as the unemployment benefits issue.
I have a very keen interest in IWA and anarcho-syndicalist history, so I'd be interested in all books, etc. regardless of language.
PS: Some interest links about SAC:
http://libcom.org/library/an-open-letter-to-the-iwa-from-sac-1998
http://libcom.org/library/sac-sweden-interview-1998-freedom
http://libcom.org/forums/anarcho-syndicalism-101/sac-votes-to-cut-paid-staff
http://libcom.org/forums/organise/the-syndicalist-registry-sac-founded-04062008
Very interesting thread here 
Every time I read about the IWA I am baffled by the self-destructive paranoia and madness of the CNT. 
The best history of the IWA is Vadim Damier's 2 volume work. Hope someday it will be translated. There is an English translation of his short history of anarchosyndicalism about to come out from Black Cat and there is a lot about the IWA, but obviously the earlier work is much more in depth.
The history of IWW and IWA was discussed on some thread last year in much detail.
About SAC, at a certain time in the past, it was infiltrated by an agent who's role in inspiring certain positions has never been clearly examined.
The question of the SAC's withdrawl from the IWA is a complex one, which has to do with the changing nature of Swedish society in the 40's and 50's, as well as the machinations of some individuals in the union, who believed that the survival of libertarian ideas, as a practical alternative, depended upon them "modernising", dropping revolutionary rhetoric, and emphasising federalism, or dropping Bakunin and promoting Proudhon/Landauer. Indeed the Swedes wanted to change the aims and principals to read, "Revolutionary Syndicalism "springs" from the class-struggle".to replace "is based on".Thus moving towards liberalism away from class-struggle socialism. John Andersson, form general secretary of the SAC and the IWA, opposed these moves, and was the delegate of the Norwegian NSF, who attended the IWA congress, at which the SAC left. The principle figure behind the SAC's move away from classical revolutionary syndicalism, was the former FAUD member, Helmut Rudiger, who had settled in Sweden in the late 1930's. Anyway there is a whole book in this stuff. This is just off the top off my head, so forgive any factual faux pas.
Treintistas were victims of quite a slander campaign by Barcelona based FAI elements - Abel Paz is very pro-FAI and shouldn't been seen as very objective - I've never seen any evidence it was supportive of "genuine" reformist unionism - involving bureuracratic unionism seeking to achieve by indirect action marginal improvements in the workers' lot -they just had a more long term view re the revolutionary project and wan't to avoid massive state repression - what the Barcelona based FAI favoured wasn't really anarcho-syndicalism they favoured more - the CNT as an anarchist workers association - and was associated with encouraging notions of revolution around the corner - and the cycle of insurrections in the early 1930's which led to massive repression against the cnt and other unions and its decline prior to the civil war in Catalonia see relevant essay in Angel Smith's "Red Barcelona" and the rightward shift in the ruling class leading to the generals' coup in July 1936.
So I think you need a new thesis for your thesis - this talk of reformist versus purist is quite bogus .
"Revolutionary Syndicalism" An International Perspective" by Marcel Van Der Linden & Wayne Thorpe touches on the role of fixed term contracts which syndicalist unions were drawn into being a contribution to their decline (together with the growth of welfare states) and becoming drawn into orthodox reformist unionist ways such as the SAC since the late 1920's and the IWW in Cleveland in the 30's, 40's and early 50's which is connected to their minoritarian status in labour movements and inability to wipe out the bases of genuine "reformist" unionism and lack of base in strategic and expanding industries.
ASN raises an important point: How did minoritarian syndicalist (SAC) and industrial unionist (Cleveland IU 440) maintain their on-the-job position. To a certain extent, the question is relevent today. I can't say I think it's an easy answer.
On the Cleveland IWW, there's a book written (which I've never seen) from Syndicalism to Trade Unionism. Ironically, I somehow recall that one of the local representatives was a member of the de leonist SLP....which I found wierd, but, hey, who know what motivates people. I actually think that the Cleveland IWW is a study that really needs to happen.
Thanks everyone, I wish I had gotten this sooner but I had to write a 3 page proposal for my paper last night, so I switched my thesis. It's now on propaganda by the deed, but I'll definitely try to use some of the stuff you put in there. I'm not going to limit it to marginal bombings and such, but widen it to include mass action.
Here's the proposal I wrote, it's not great because I had to prove that it was worth writing about basically:
"Propaganda by the deed is the proper term for anarchist “terrorism”. From the repression of the Paris Commune and the destruction of the Socialist movement country by country, came a vengeance never before heard of from the working classes. Their clubs destroyed, futures desolate, and ideologies criminalized, a minority of anarchists took up arms against the bourgeois states of Europe, distributing justice where there was none. Propaganda by the deed was slowly ebbed out in frequency when it became apparent that it was a flawed tactic guaranteed to produce more repression. However, the idea of propaganda of the deed beyond the few assassinations and bombings that are representative of it has its strongest presence based in the struggle of the working class. From the attempted assassination of Henry Clay Frick by Alexander Berkman during the Holmstead Strike to the arsons that lit up the skies of Barcelona it is unmistakable that assassination propaganda of the deed is merely the manifestation of the only way those without power have been able to challenge the authority of those with power. Propaganda by the deed is nonetheless a flawed tactic, with organizationalist tendencies winning out in the anarchist movement it became apparent that only through mass organizations, not random bombings, could workers’ power be achieved. Propaganda by the deed is one of the most influential ideas in European, and by extension American and Latin American history, challenging the rights, property, and lives of the bourgeoisie.
At the turn of the century the bourgeoisie of Europe and America were paralyzed with fright at the words of the anarchists. Propaganda by the deed’s effect on history in this respect cannot be overlooked, as it also led to the first international policing organization, the International Anti-Anarchist Conference in 1903 that promised cooperation between states in subduing the anarchist movement. Dozens of attempts, and some successes, on the lives of head of state left governments in a panic over what to do about the growing anarchist threat. Many 19th and early 20th century government policies were centered around how to subdue the anarchist movement, especially the violent section of it.
Social struggles of anarchists were often repressed by the state, soon after this would follow counter violence by anarchists. In the small town of Castilblanco in Spain, the local branch of the CNT (National Labor Confederation, the Spanish anarcho-syndicalist union) attempted to hold a meeting that was soon banned by the Guardia Civil (the Spanish national police force). The inhabitants of the pueblo became enraged and killed four members of the Guardia Civil, gauging their eyes out, bludgeoning them to death, and stabbing them. Though this violence wasn’t specifically carried out by anarchists, as most of the town’s population had descended upon the Guardia Civil officers, it still accompanied an anarchist struggle and can accurately be described as an action of propaganda by the deed. Propaganda by the deed need not always be carried out by one or a few individuals, but can also take the effect of mass organization so long as it still follows the same definition that a propaganda by the deed attack by an individual would.
The effect of propaganda by the deed tactics were carried outside the anarchist movement to organizations like the Workers’ Party of Kurdistan and the Red Army Faction. The Red Army Faction’s kidnaping of the president of the German Employers’ Association, Hanns Martin Schleyer, could be considered an act of propaganda by the deed because it was meant to be symbolic, as well as revenge for the exploitation of his workers. This cooption of anarchist concepts by Marxist-Leninists is not unheard of, but the actions of the Red Army Faction in Germany, Red Brigades in Italy, November 17th in Greece, and numerous other Marxist-Leninist urban guerilla groups redefined urban guerilla actions from being an anarchist concept, to being used by Marxist-Leninists more frequently.
Propaganda by the deed attacks continue to have an effect today, being used by the anarchist movement still. There has developed a schism in many countries between the “insurrectionalists” and the Communist anarchists. While the communist anarchists focus more on organization and activism within the community, the insurrectionalists are anti-organizational and prone to acts of violence. In Greece this division has become the most severe. During a march organized by the Communist anarchists, a molotov cocktail was thrown by insurrectionalists, which injured two protestors. In response to this, several Communist anarchists hunted down insurrectionalists and beat them as revenge. In a further escalation of violence, several insurrectionalists burned down the offices of the Federation of the Anarchists of Greece. Still, with the December 2008 riots in Greece and the continuous bombings and attacks by revolutionary groups, it’s obvious that propaganda by the deed is still flourishing.
There are many groups that carry out propaganda by the deed actions today. In Greece there is Revolutionary Struggle, Revolutionary Nuclei, Anti State Justice, and Thieves in Black (a name given by the media by anarchist groups who steal food and redistribute it). In Italy there are about a dozen groups organized into the “Informal Anarchist Federation” (a media savvy name, most likely due to media), who are allied with the new Red Brigades. In Spain bombings of centers of capital are common in Madrid and Barcelona. Propaganda of the deed not only has historical relevance, but also modern relevance."
Still useful, the links can be pillaged for an upgrade of the IWA wikipedia article 
.
Edit: Results here, for the history buffs might be worth checking to make sure I've got me numbers rights there's a lot of stats and dates in there which I've filched from a few different places...
JackR.
Are you aware that six members of an affiliate section of the IWA have been detained in Belgrade early in September for a molotov and graffiti incident which they have attempted to distance themselves and anarcho-syndicalism from. There's no inherent connection between anarcho-syndicalism and molotov cocktail adventurism. Anarcho-syndicalism is anarchism applied to the labour movement.
..can't make this shit up..
In Greece this division has become the most severe. During a march organized by the Communist anarchists, a molotov cocktail was thrown by insurrectionalists, which injured two protestors. In response to this, several Communist anarchists hunted down insurrectionalists and beat them as revenge. In a further escalation of violence, several insurrectionalists burned down the offices of the Federation of the Anarchists of Greece.
link on this?
The effect of propaganda by the deed tactics were carried outside the anarchist movement to organizations like the Workers’ Party of Kurdistan and the Red Army Faction. The Red Army Faction’s kidnaping of the president of the German Employers’ Association, Hanns Martin Schleyer, could be considered an act of propaganda by the deed because it was meant to be symbolic, as well as revenge for the exploitation of his workers. This cooption of anarchist concepts by Marxist-Leninists is not unheard of, but the actions of the Red Army Faction in Germany, Red Brigades in Italy, November 17th in Greece, and numerous other Marxist-Leninist urban guerilla groups redefined urban guerilla actions from being an anarchist concept, to being used by Marxist-Leninists more frequently
.
If you are using the PKK and saying they are copying propaganda by the deed. You could say that about numerous groups and individuals. Such as al qaeda cells blowing up bhutto.
Atleast the Red Army Faction did have some anarchist members in its ranks. I found it interesting though and well written.
Yeah, I don't think you can say that the tactics of the PKK or the red Army faction have anything to do with anarchist propaganda of the deed. All political ideologies have used some sort of terrorist tactics in various places and times - terrorism was not invented by individualist anarchists. In fact, of all political ideologies anarchists have probably killed far fewer people than any other.
Quote:
In Greece this division has become the most severe. During a march organized by the Communist anarchists, a molotov cocktail was thrown by insurrectionalists, which injured two protestors. In response to this, several Communist anarchists hunted down insurrectionalists and beat them as revenge. In a further escalation of violence, several insurrectionalists burned down the offices of the Federation of the Anarchists of Greece.link on this?
Well, that essay was just to explain how it's relavent. I used the PKK and RAF as examples of propaganda by the deed attacks (as in meant to incite revolution, spread ideas, or strike back at enemies of the workers) being used outside the Anarchist movement. They might be mentioned briefly in the main essay, probably just the RAF due to the 2nd June Movement joining them, but they won't be the focal point.
I think there is a bit of a difference between early anarchist propaganda by the deed and more general late 20th century political terrorism. The former is basically the misguided belief that the social revolution only needs a "spark," like the assassination of a president, king etc., to happen. It's not proper vanguardism though, in that the mission to make the revolution still lies with "the oppressed masses," and the deed propagandist is just a willing sacrificial victim, not a political leader.
PKK is something altogether different, because it's not a grouping of disparate, and desperate, romantic "revolutionaries," but a paramilitary group whose objective is to gain state power and maintain it for as long as possible by eliminating all other rival factions and parties.This is what maoism is about. The RAF also, despite their confused New Left politics, definitely had a strong maoist streak throughout and very likely saw themselves as a political vanguard; I don't think their objective was so much to inspire workers to action, as to build, by power of example, a larger vanguard that would then be able to overthrow the "fascist state", in Leninist fashion.
The minutes of the VII IWA congress detail the events where the SAC left following unanimous opposition to its motion that all sections should manage pension funds, etc. They were not expelled, their delegates walked out.
While this is sort of what happened, it is also manages to get every detail wrong. SAC didn't leave the IWA at the 7th congress, they didn't make a motion saying that all sections should manage pension funds, opposition to their proposals weren't unanimous, and their delegates didn't walk out.
Your selfed course is also quite inaccurate on this stuff, which is unfortunate, because I see it being used as reference for other texts.
But it would be interesting to read the minutes of the IWA congresses. Does anybody know if these are available anywhere?
Hey there Felix..... much of this stuff is at ISSH in Amsterdam.
The closest thing to an "offical" IWA congress history is a multi-series published in the magazine version of CENIT: "La Asociation de los Trabajadores, a traves de sus Congresos. El debate anarcosindicalista", by J. Munoz Congost (issues #250, Sep. 1987- #263 Nov. 1991). Perhaps it may have been continued, but the WSA records only have up to #263.
"CeNiT" (newspaper) and "CENIT" (magazine) were the main publications of the CNT-exilio (with responsibilities split between Paris, Limones and Tolouse).
Conjost was IWA Secretary when our group, the Libertarian Workers Group (now NY WSA)
affiliated with the IWA in the 1970s.
Issue #257 (2/89) covers the IX Congress (1956) and X congress (1958) in which the SAC is discussed/debated. Issue #258 (5/1989) heavily covers the SAC.
Even into the early 1960s (XI Congress, 5/1961, Bordeaux), the NSV (Holland) sought to "reintergrate" the SAC into the IWA. While not being a part of the IWA, the SAC were still invited to a number of IWA Congresses. I recall even in the late 1970s and up to the split in the Spanish CNT, the SAC were invited to IWA plenaries and Congresses. All with an eye to possibly patching up relations (which never happened and probably won't for many years to come).
I'm writing a thesis paper for my AP European History class.
wow.
signed,
a schoolteacher.
Vadim Damier"s "Anarcho-syndicalism in the 20th Century" is now available from Black Cat Press (email info@blackcatpress.ca for a catalogue) and will soon be distributed by AK Press. It covers the full history of anarcho-syndicalism, not just the interwar period. In writing this broad survey, Damier has found the secondary literature inadequate in many instances, and has had to supplement published sources with archival research. Paradoxically, some of the most valuable primary sources on the movement are to be found in Moscow!
Don't have time to read through the thread, but came across this....
“The Forgotten International", by Vadim Damier
http://www.anarkismo.net/article/6990
The book is in Russian though....too bad.
It does say
One may regret that the study was produced in Russian, a language which not many foreign researchers and activists are familiar with, so if you would like to contact the author about the possibilities of translating the book into other languages and publishing it, you can write to Vadim Damier at vaddam@mail.ru.
post war "the Swedish state was developing into a model of social democracy, introducing an extensive and expansive welfare system as well as a complicated system of collective bargaining. One aspect of this system (partly a concession to the Labour Organisation union federation (LO) that was allied with the ruling Social Democratic Labour Party) was that the unions played a role in the administration of welfare, including distribution of unemployment benefits.
Grappling with this issue, the SAC revised its programme in 1954 and decided to start distributing state unemployment funds to its memebers. This was condemned by the IWA, and the SAC left in 1956, with many feeling that the unioncould not compete with the dominant LO unless it also partispated in the distribution of unemployment monies."
Black Flame. Schmidt, van der Walt (2009) pages 222-223.
MK Lees offers context to the recent IATSE strike vote and potential settlement. This article was...
Upton Sinclair's undercover journalism cum novel about the conditions of America's meat packing industry and the effect it had on those that worked it.
A short account of the hearings of two anarchists in front of the courts during World War One
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there's some discussion of the context of the founding of the IWA in unit 13 of SolFed's SelfEd, but otherwise looks like a bit of a black hole in the SelfEd course. i'm not aware of any books specifically on the IWA or anarcho-syndicalism generally in that period. Rocker touches on it a bit.